Until I Found Her
by Firewifesara
Summary: "I might have to wait, I'll never give up. I guess it's half timing and the other half's luck Wherever she is, whenever it's right. She'll come out of nowhere and into my life" - Adapted from "Haven't Met You Yet" By Michael Bublé Finn's POV (Finchel endgame) -Companion story to "Until I Found Him" by RedAmbition Complete
1. New Direction for Him

**A/N- Welcome to my newest story. A few things before you get started: This is a multi chapter AU story loosely inspired by HIMYM, and a companion piece (link in bio) to "Until I Found Him" by the always amazing RedAmbition. This will on focus on Finn's POV while "Until I Found Him" will focus Rachel's. It doesn't matter which story you read first since they are companion pieces to one another. We have most of these stories completed and plan to update twice a week. I can't tell you how much fun I have had working with RedAmbition on this. Countless amounts of phone calls, texts, emails, and laughter have gone into the making of this story and I have loved every minute of it. Thank you for the pleasure of allowing me to work with you on this epic project. I hope you all enjoy this unique collaboration.**

**We do not own Glee, HIMYM, Man of La Mancha, any of the music used, or any of the characters. We do, however, own Tessa and Frank.**

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Finn Hudson sat idly at table two, his eyes focused on the elegant rose centerpiece adorned with hanging crystals. His best friend was married today, only an hour ago, and it seemed that the nuptials had awoken something in him he didn't even know was asleep. Something he couldn't quite pin point.

"Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time as husband and wife, please welcome Sam and Quinn Evans!"

The announcer introduced them and Finn stood from his seat, clapping wildly as he watched the newly married couple enter the ballroom. He smiled as Quinn Fabray-Evans, his best friend of nearly nineteen years, clutched tightly to the arm of her groom as he led them to the center of the dance floor. The newly married couple swayed from side to side, smiling and staring into each other's eyes as their song played.

Finn had never seen her so happy.

They were sat next to each other in first grade and discovered on that first day that they had names that rhymed; they have been close ever since. After high school, Finn moved to New York to become a firefighter and Quinn moved to Connecticut to attend Yale. Her third year, she met Sam and the couple moved to New York when she graduated. Now, here he sits, in a black tuxedo, evaluating his own love life. Or lack of.

As he watched the happy couple so clearly in love, it suddenly hit Finn. He wanted this. He wanted somebody to look at him the way that Sam was looking at Quinn, like he was her hero, her heart, her everything. He didn't get long to ponder his next move before he felt a hard punch to his shoulder.

"Dude, if you start crying, I'm gonna kick your ass."

Finn rubbed what he was sure was a newly forming bruise on his arm. "Damn, Puck. What the hell was that for?" Noah Puckerman, or Puck as he liked to be called, was Finn's good friend and coworker. Despite his stupid haircut and abrasive nature, Puck was a loyal friend. Not unlike a dog who barks at passersby, chases cars, and humps your friend's legs, but loyal all the same. Even so, he will tell you what you needed to hear and support you when you really needed it. Sometimes.

"I'm just sayin' you are watching those two like you somehow grew a vagina since I went to the bar." Puck glanced at the bride and groom, then back to Finn. "Why would anybody willingly pay all this money to promise to have sex with the same person for the rest of your life? Besides the obvious answer of getting your friends drunk and letting them sleep with the bridesmaids."

Finn shook his head. "I don't know man, it's not so bad. Don't you want that?" He pointed to Sam and Quinn, who were now making their way to the head table.

"Uh uh. No way in hell. Nobody ties down the Puckasauras."

He chuckled, knowing that Puck was not the best person to be having this conversation with. Finn clapped him on the back. "That's not what I heard, Man."

"That was one time! She tricked me!"

Finn's shoulders shook with laughter. "I'm sure she did. I'm going to go get a drink."

"Whatever man, try not to get married on the way over there."

"I'll try." Finn knew that Puck was joking, but that didn't stop his mind from momentarily wondering about his own wedding. He stood at the bar, tapping his fingers on the rich mahogany while he waited for the bartender.

"Hey there, Best Man."

Finn turned; his mind immediately knowing who the voice belonged to, and pulled the girl into a friendly hug. "Hey Quinn."

"Come dance with me." She reached out and took his hand, pulling him towards the dance floor.

He pulled back, resisting her. "You know I don't dance."

"It's for the bride." She knew that he wouldn't be able to resist that phrase. She had been using it all day to get things she wanted, including his sandwich. He had been forced to go get another one.

Finn groaned. "Alright, one dance. Let's hope your dress is still white when I'm done stepping all over it."

"Finn Hudson, if you step on this dress I will kill you." He chuckled as they found a spot on the dance floor. He placed his hands on her waist while she rested hers on his shoulders. "Do you think everybody is having fun?"

"Are you having fun? This isn't for them; it's your wedding Quinn."

She sighed. "I know, but I want everybody to have fun."

Finn looked around the room, scanning the expressions of the guests. "They all seem to be smiling. Maybe it's the open bar, but they do seem happy." He smiled at the blonde. "You seem happy."

"I am. How about you, Finn? Are you happy?"

He really didn't know how to answer that. Was he happy? He had a good job, good friends, a place to live, and a great family. He wasn't _unhappy,_ he just felt like maybe something was missing. He's just not sure he was ready to tell Quinn that. Especially on her wedding day. "Why wouldn't I be?"

She pulled back slightly and raised her eyebrow at him as she slapped his shoulder. "You didn't answer the question."

"Oww." He removed one hand from her waist to rub what he was now certain was a bruise on his shoulder. "What is with everyone hitting me tonight?"

"Just answer the question. Are you happy?"

Finn sighed. "Yes, I'm happy, okay"

"I don't believe you. What's wrong?" She had been friends with Finn a long time; she knew when he was lying to her.

"Nothing. I'm fine." She raised her eyebrow at him again, stopping their swaying. "Fine. I'm just thinking about all this."

"All what?" She asked.

He knew she wasn't going to let it go, he may as well tell her. "I'm happy okay. I'm just thinking about how happy you look with Sam and how nice it would be to have that."

"Oh my God, are you dating someone? You didn't tell me you were dating someone? Is she pretty? Do I know her? When are you going to propose?"

Finn placed his hands on her shoulders, stopping her invasive and very wrong questions. "Quinn. Stop. I am not dating anybody. I have no plans to get married anytime soon. I'm only saying that I think I might like to. Someday."

"Finn…" Quinn stepped forward and hugged him tightly. When she pulled back she smiled at him widely. "If that's what you want, I say go after it. Any girl would be lucky to have you by her side."

"Thanks Qui-"

"Hey there, mind if I borrow my stunning bride?"

Finn smiled, gesturing to his friend. "I think you just signed the papers to keep her."

"I sure did." Sam took hold of her hand and pulled her flush to him, kissing her firmly.

He chuckled, now even more sure that he wanted that someday. He had only been separated from them for a moment when Puck shoved a drink in his hand. "Thanks, Puck."

"You're welcome, now how about you be a good wing man and help me choose my complimentary wedding favor." Puck waggled his eyebrows as his eyes scanned the room with a predatory gaze.

Finn rolled his eyes. He shouldn't be surprised at his friend's behavior. "Didn't you already get Quinn's cousin in the coat room?"

"And in the limo, but now I need one to bring home. I have needs." Puck smirked, obviously proud of his conquests.

"You're on your own dude."

Puck turned and thrust a finger in Finn's face. "I will let you puss out on me tonight; you can go home alone and watch that show where the freaks eat their own hair or whatever."

"Oh. That was a good one, that chick ended up goin-"

"Save it. I don't care. That show is insane and I have no idea how you can stand to watch it." Finn knew his friend didn't share his guilty pleasure, but he enjoyed watching him squirm when he told him some of the highlights. "Look." Puck pointed out two women sitting at a table just off the dance floor. "Those two chicks are clearly looking to go home with us. The way they are sitting there, at a wedding, alone, thinking about all the romance and shit, they need us to take them home."

Finn looked at the two girls then at Puck. "You go ahead. I have to finish out my best man duties and I promised Quinn's parents that I would help them clean up some stuff after. I don't think it's going to happen tonight."

Puck's mouth hung open slightly as he listened to his friend in disbelief. "That's what I'm saying. You are the best man, Finn. The best man. That is like a VIP pass to bang any single chick in this room, or even a couple of the married ones."

"Sorry, Puck, I promised. If it will make you feel better, I'll try to hit on a stranger on the way home."

"Fine, I'll let you puss out on what is potentially your best chance this year. But, your ass is mine next week." He paused as he caught the smirk Finn wore at the implications of his words.

"I didn't know you were into me like that." Finn teased, knowing Puck was uncomfortable with his word choice.

"That's not what I meant and you know it. There is a costume party next week at Club Sarnona, you are going to get your pansy ass in a –non lame- costume and be my wing man while we hit on chicks in slutty costumes."

"Why does every girl think they need to dress slutty for a costume party? Why not just be a nurse, why do they always have to make it a slutty nurse?" Finn genuinely thought that the girls who wore the slutty costumes didn't look as good as the ones who left a little to the imagination. "It's not even Halloween. Why is there a costume party?"

"It doesn't matter. It's a party." Puck reached out and slapped Finn on the back of the head. "Have I taught you nothing, Hudson? The slutty costumes are what making dressing up worth it. You are going to go. You are going to try not to be lame. And most importantly you are going to get laid." He saw Finn open his mouth to protest, but held up his hand. "Can it, Finnessa. We are going. End of discussion."

Finn shook his head in defeat. At this point, he knew he didn't have a chance. He could always back out later. Hell, its possible Puck wouldn't even remember this conversation tomorrow. Even though Puck's motives were questionable, Finn knew that if he really did want to start dating seriously, he would need to put himself out there more, maybe try and date a few girls that he usually wouldn't go for. The good thing is that he actually enjoyed a good costume party.

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**A/N- Want to know what Rachel was up to? Go read "Until I Found Him" by RedAmbition. I really hope you are enjoying this concept. Reviews are always appreciated. **


	2. Guys Night Out

**A/N- We are so glad you are all liking this unique concept so far! Thank you for all the love! Don't forget to read Rachel's POV in "Until I Found Him" by RedAmbition. **

**I do not own Glee, HIMYM, Man of La Mancha, any of the music, or any of the characters. We do own Tessa and Frank. :) **

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"What the hell are you wearing?" Puck eyed his friends costume skeptically as he joined him in line. Finn's flannel shirt was tucked into a tight pair of jeans with a large belt buckle fastened over the button. He was wearing a black pair of cowboy boots, a stereotypical red bandanna and a ridiculously fake mustache.

Finn combed his fingers through the fake mustache and shook his head at Puck's chosen costume. "What? I'm a cowboy. You're one to talk, what the hell is that?"

Puck wiggled his crotch, making the erect fire hose attached to the pants of his fireman costume sway wildly. "It's my hose. The ladies are gonna love it." The pair took a small step forward as the line moved up.

"I doubt that."

"What?" Puck questioned and then decided he didn't really care. "You know what, it doesn't matter. What matters is that there is a room full of women in slutty costumes just waiting for us to join them." He pointed at the door and became aware that the line was no longer moving. "If this line would get moving," he said loudly, getting the attention of the door man who was in charge of letting people in the club several feet ahead. "Now, remember, you promised to sack up tonight. No being a pussy." He watched as Finn toyed with the something in his front pocket. "Damn. For hell sake put that thing away or you're going to lose before you even get a chance to play."

Finn shrugged, "It's my good luck charm."

"It's a green iPod." Puck rolled his eyes. He was more that used to seeing his friend with the iPod in his pocket. He always had it with him, even if it never left his pocket. "Shit dude, couldn't you leave that thing home for one night?" He knew he couldn't, Puck's not even sure why he asked.

"No. You know I take it everywhere." He did too. It was given to him as a gift when he decided to move to New York from Ohio.

"Fine. Whatever, just keep it hidden. In case your lame ass can't close the deal tonight, I've got a nearly fool proof plan for you." Puck looked from side to side and leaned closer to Finn, making sure his 'hose' didn't violate the bro code in the process. "The naked man." He confided.

Finn stood up straighter, confused. "The what?"

The men took another step forward, slowly getting closer to the entry. "The naked man. Listen. You go out with a girl, it's going ok, but you know there is no way you are getting a second chance at getting in her pants. So you wait till she is distracted and strip naked. It's important to choose a good pose. I usually go with the captain mor-" Puck stopped taking when he noticed a beady eyed man leaning in to better hear their conversation. Puck turned the guy, dressed in a white shirt that simply said 'vote for Pedro.' The man's light brown hair was poofed up into an unruly afro and his khakis were hiked up past his belly button. "Can I help you Pee Pants?" The weirdo gulped and awkwardly stood taller. "Beat it." Puck lunged at him slightly, causing him to flinch and take a step back, effectively taking himself out of the conversation. Puck turned his attention back to Finn and continued. "Anyway, the chick is surprised and turned on by your confidence, so sleeps with you anyway. Works three out of five times."

"What about the other two?" Finn questioned.

"It doesn't matter; you had no chance at a second date with her anyway." Puck waived his arms and the line moved again, bringing them next in line. "I'm telling you, it works; better that any supposed good luck charm."

Finn took in a sharp breath. "Hey! It was a gift."

"Yeah," he snorted, "from your brother."

Technically true, but that's not why Finn carried it with him everywhere. His died had died when he was a baby. His mom was obsessed with the song _The Impossible Dream_; she listened to it all the time, so he did too. Even when he was in high school and his mom remarried, they listened to it. His step dad, Burt, was cool and he and Kurt were the same age. Kurt was a confident kid who was into theater and knew what he wanted. He never teased Finn about listening to that song and he was always the first to tell Finn that he could achieve whatever he set out to do.

Kurt was always going to New York an when Finn expressed an interest in being a firefighter, he pushed him to go for it and they made plans to move after graduation. Kurt had lyrics from the song engraved on the back of a green iPod and gave it to him for graduation. Ever since then, he carried it with him all the time. It was more than a good luck charm.

It reminded him that he had people in his corner, and to be honest, Finn had awesome taste in music.

"It's time to put the hose on display, show the ladies what they are in for." Puck said, interrupting Finn's inner reminiscing. The two looked up as the large bouncer lifted the rope and motioned for the two to enter the club. "Just be cool tonight. Leave it all up to me." Puck warned.

The pair entered the dimly lit club and scanned the space for prime real estate. "There." He pointed. "Near the dance floor and the bar." Puck was almost shouting over the loud dance music pumping from the speakers.

"No way. I'm going on the other side of the bar. No way am I going near the dance floor." Finn shouted back.

Puck shook his head and they went to the bar, each ordering a beer. "I'm going to scope out the hotties. Remember, don't be lame, it looks bad for me."

Finn didn't even look up from the bar as he waved half-heartedly at his friend. After a couple beers, Finn made his way to the stairway leading a balcony overlooking the main floor of the club. He wandered around, stopping when random girls in predictably slutty costumes stopped to flirt with him. He flirted with a few of them, too. The slutty cop was surprisingly funny, her very large boyfriend, not so much. He found himself watching the crowd of people below him on the dance floor for a while and then made his way back down to the bar.

"Geez, Hudson. You can't expect the tail to come to you; you have to actually go after it." Puck took Finn by the arm, lifting him from the bar stool he had been occupying for the last couple hours. "Come on."

Finn scoffed. "For your information, Jackass, I have been all around this club. You are the one who ditched me."

"Not my fault you don't dance, man. That's where the ladies get all kinds of crazy. You should have seen this chick in a slutty pirate costume. She practically used me as a humping post on the dance floor. Then I let her _actually_ use me as a humping post in the bathroom." Puck winked, ignoring Finn as he shook his head. Puck led him away from the bar, only making it a few steps away before he noticed a tall, busty Latina in a very short red and white striped dress walking towards them. Puck raised his hand swiftly, backhanding Finn on the arm. "God, I love costume parties. Check her out."

Finn looked at the girl, who was now closer, appreciatively. Just because he didn't understand why every girl felt like they needed to dress slutty, doesn't mean he didn't appreciate it. "She's hot."

"Yeah she is." Puck took a small step forward, placing himself in front of the Candy-striper, and wiggled his crotch at the woman. "Hey baby, you want to handle my hose?"

The woman crossed her arms at her chest and eyed Puck first, then Finn, before swatting at offending fire hose. "That is the lamest pick up line I've heard all night, and trust me when I say that I've heard many." She turned her attention to Finn, stepping directly in front of him. "How about you, Cowboy, you want to try one."

Finn shook his head. "Um, sorry about him. He's not quite housebroken."

"Hey."

The woman looked him up and down again. "You'll do." She paused, taking another step closer to him. "What's your name, Cowboy?"

Finn looked over at Puck, then back to the woman. "F-Finn."

"You sure?" She raised an eyebrow at him in amusement and he nodded.

Puck watched as his friend was somehow managing to completely crash and burn at the same time as he was succeeding. He's not even sure how that works. He turned towards the pair, accidentally hitting the woman with his fire hose. "Noah Puckerman, but you can call me Puck, sweetheart."

"If that thing touches me again, the only thing I'll be calling you is an ambulance." Puck held up his hands and took a step back.

Once again, she turned back to Finn. "I'm Santana. How about you find a sitter for your friend here, cause you are going to take me out on Friday night."

Again, Finn looked at Puck then back to the woman. He's not completely sure what was happening right now. "I am?" No doubt that this chick was hot. He's just not sure how this conversation had made its way to him getting a date.

"Do I need to spell it out for you?" She reached into her bra and pulled out a black cell phone and handed it to Finn with a smirk. "Give me your number." Finn took the phone from her, immediately entering in his phone number. He was in utter disbelief handing it back to her. "Wow, I surprised you managed that all by yourself. So, Friday?"

"Yeah. Yes. Friday. I'll see you then."

Santana glanced at the dance floor then back to Finn. "Good. I need to get back to my friend before that fuzzy haired freak contaminates her."

She turned to walk away, her hips swaying as Finn and Puck watched in awe. "Call me." Finn called out, immediately regretting it.

Puck hit him on the shoulder. "Dude. 'Call me' that's the best you could do? I can't believe that just happened. I need a drink." Puck turned back towards the bar he had dragged Finn away from only a few minutes ago, Finn right behind him.

"That was easy." Finn said, reclaiming his seat at the bar.

Puck leaned against the bar and signaled for the bartender to bring him another drink, then turned to Finn. "Have I taught you nothing, Hudson? You were almost drooling back there."

"I guess I should thank you." Finn looked at him, smirking. "It was you who struck out so badly that she came running to me."

"What?" Puck took a long drink from the newly delivered beverage. "I gave her to you. You're welcome, Asswipe."

Finn laughed and nodded at the bartender, indicating that he, too, would like a drink. "Sure, we can go with that. What I know for sure is that this night just got a whole lot better." He took the glass from the bartender and raised it up before bringing it to his smiling lips.

Finn wasn't going to question what had happened with the beautiful candy-striper. He knew that he had a date and no matter what happened he was on the path to finding forever.

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**A/N- Want to know what Rachel was up to? Read "Until I Found Him" by RedAmbition (there is a link in my bio). We would love to know what you think so far! Reviews are always appreciated. **


	3. His Naked Man

**A/N- I'm loving all your feedback on this; it looks like the majority of you were completely surprised at the Finn/Santana interaction. This chapter was a ton of fun to write, you'll figure out why. It has seriously been a blast to write this story with my wonderful friend RedAmbition; she is a legit genius and I love her bunches. Don't forget to check in with Rachel in "Until I Found Him." (there is a link in my bio)**

**I still do not own Glee, HIMYM, Man of La Mancha, or any of the characters. I'm pretty sure nobody reads these and I am a dirty dirty girl. Lucky for us, we do own Tessa and Frank. **

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"Right this way." The slender red headed hostess led Finn and Santana through the restaurant and stopped at a table towards the back, placing the menus on the table. She smiled politely, gesturing for them to sit. Finn allowed his date to sit first and then settled into the seat across from her. "Your server will be with you in a moment."

"Thank you." It had been so long since Finn had been out on a date and if he was being completely honest, he's not completely sure how he managed to get this one. He rested his hand over his front pants pocket, idly toying with the iPod he kept there. His nerves were winning the battle within him and he was shaking as he picked up the menu with his free hand. "So, uh, everything looks good. Do you know what you're having yet?"

Santana briefly glanced at the menu and then placed it on the table, immediately lifting herself in her seat slightly so she could look around the restaurant with ease. "I'm going to get the same thing I always get, the shrimp scampi."

"Cool. Did you want an appetizer?" Finn peered over his menu to see that his dates focus was not on him; instead she seemed to be looking for something. When she had called him to work out the details of their date, Santana insisted that they come to this restaurant. That was the one and only conversation they had shared between when they met and when he picked her up earlier in the evening. Their journey to dinner was mostly silent and Finn was anxious to get some conversation flowing.

The woman looked towards the kitchen once more. "Sure. How about the grilled mushrooms? They are really good he-"

"Welcome to Antonio's. My name is Britney and I'll be your waitress this evening." Finn immediately noticed the conflicted expression on his dates face when she saw the waitress for the first time. "Hello Santana."

"Britney." She said coolly. "Oh, how rude of me. Britney, this is Finn, my date." She gestured to Finn exaggeratedly and then forced a smile at the pretty blonde waitress. "Finn, this is Britney. A girl I know."

Finn could sense the tension between the two women, but had no clue what their history was. All he knew for sure was that he was uncomfortable. "Uh, hey Britney. Nice to meet you."

"We used to scissor. Santana doesn't like to talk about it though." She looked at Santana, who gave her a scowl, then readied her notepad. "What can I get for you?"

"White wine and the shrimp scampi."

Finn smiled at the waitress who, for some reason, seemed to be getting the cold shoulder from his date. "I'll have a beer, whatever's on tap, and the chicken picatta, please. Can we also get the grilled mushroom as an appetizer?" He said, glancing quickly at Santana.

"Oh! Santana loves those. She gets them every time she..." Finn's not sure, but by the way Santana was sending daggers at Britney, he's pretty sure she wasn't supposed to say that. He took Santana's menu from her, hoping to cut the awkwardness by minimizing her interactions with Britney. The waitress smiled at Finn, tucking the menus in her arm. "I'll be back with your drinks."

Finn waited till the woman was at a safe distance. "So, you know the waitress, huh?" He questioned.

"We used to hang out. It's no big deal."

By her tone and the very awkward conversation, Finn didn't believe her. Not even a little. He chose to let her believe he did though. "Okay."

"Okay?"

She seemed surprised that he was just going to let it go, even though Finn wanted nothing more than to ask her about it. If for no other reason than to just to start a conversation. They sat in awkward silence for a few minutes, until Britney came back with their drinks. As soon as they were placed on the table, Finn signaled for her to bring him another; he would need it if this evening didn't turn around soon.

They were halfway through the appetizer and Finn was just about to finish his second beer when Santana finally broke the silence. "So, Cowboy, what happened to your mustache?"

"I only wear it when I have to be seen in public with Puckerman. I don't want to risk being recognized." He teased, hoping to break the tension.

Santana laughed, and compared to the silence the two had been sharing previously, it sounded like heaven. "That's a great idea, he seemed… _special_."

"He keeps things interesting, that's for sure." The two shared another laugh just as the food arrived, Britney's presence once again adding a slight tension. Once she was gone, however, the small talk continued as they ate. They talked about what they did for a living and shared a few random work stories, but neither turned the subject too personal.

Even though this was likely to top his list of bad dates, Finn liked Santana. She was a strong independent woman who had plenty to offer. Somebody else.

Finn was finishing the last of his pasta when the waitress stopped at their table, placing the bill in front of Finn. "Why are you doing this San, you don't date guys."

Finn's eyes went wide and he grabbed for his beer, bringing it to his lips in an attempt to stay out of the conversation happening at his table. "That's not true. We are having a great time. In fact, Berry made banana bread earlier today and I was just about to invite Finn back to my apartment to have some." Santana looked at Finn, who had finished his beer and was now placing some cash on the table. "Well?"

"Uh, sure." He looked between the two women, confused when he noticed how Britney's expression had changed. Had he not had that last beer, he may have figured out what that meant. He was not drunk, but he was slightly buzzed and unfortunately, the last beer minimized his brain function just enough that the only thing he heard was 'banana bread,' and Finn loved banana bread.

"Santana, you can't run from this forever." Britney was almost pleading

"I'm not running." Finn's pretty sure she is lying. "Are you ready Finn?" Santana stood, holding a hand out to Finn.

He took it, scooting out of the booth. "Yeah, I'm ready." Just as they left the restaurant, Finn noticed Santana looking back at the waitress on more time. He chose to ignore it. "I love banana bread."

He didn't see the eye roll Santana intended for him as they walked out to get a cab. Since Santana continued to hold his hand, Finn took that as a good sign and continued with the small talk they had found comfortable during dinner. She didn't seem particularly vested in the conversation during the cab ride to her apartment, but she was cordial and as polite as he had seen her all night.

Finn wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. He was contemplating it when she released his hand and entered her apartment. Santana went straight into the galley style kitchen, leaving Finn to look around the apartment.

The first thing he noticed was framed poster from Journey's 1979 world tour. He always liked that band. "Hey! Cool Journey poster."

"Huh?" Santana came out of the kitchen, noticing what he was looking at. "Oh. It's okay I guess."

Finn saw that she was holding a few slices of cut bread on a plate and made his way over to her, pointing at some items on the bookshelf as he passed. "I've always wanted to get the gold edition. Jenga is like, my favorite game ever."

"Yeah. My roommate loves that game."

She handed him the plate and he immediately took a bite from one of the pieces. He finished the first piece and smiled at his date. "This banana bread is awesome. Are you going to have any?"

"No. We have it around here all the time and I'm still a little full from dinner. You go ahead and enjoy it though. I'm just going to go to the little girl's room."

Finn's not completely sure why, but Puck's words came back to haunt him as he watched her walk away. He knew that even though they had a nice time tonight, if you don't count all the awkwardness, there was not going to be a second date with Santana. Puck's advice played on repeat in his head: _wait till she's distracted, then strip naked, it's called the naked man. _The beers he had tossed back earlier quieted the part of his brain that usually told him that Puck's ideas were rarely a good idea and before he knew it, he was standing stark naked in the living room of a beautiful girls apartment.

He threw the plate of (delicious) banana bread on the counter and began to unbutton his pants while simultaneously removing his shoes. He kicked them to the side and pulled down his pants and boxer briefs haphazardly tossing them next to a bright pink yoga mat. He then lifted his shirt over his head and launched it over near his pants. He could hear the toilet flushing followed by the running water in the sink and steadied his nerves while he made a final decision on what his pose would be. Just as he heard the click of the lock, he planted his feet, placed his hands on his hips, and puffed out his chest. He was looking at the juncture of the wall and ceiling of the apartment, completing the 'superhero' pose he had decided on. He only broke focus when he heard the small giggles coming from his date.

"What are you doing? Why are you naked?" She asked through her laughter.

Finn knew this was a possibility, Puck said it was the confidence that made this work. Instead of backing down he stood taller and puffed out his chest more. His body language may have said 'confident' but on the inside, he was freaking out. He did feel slightly better when Santana stopped laughing.

"You know what. It doesn't even matter. Put your pants on, Cowboy." She waved him off, handing him his clothing from where they were laying on the floor, and sat on the sofa at the other side of the room. "That was a bold move. I'm impressed. I never would have guessed that you would have that in you." Finn began pulling on his clothes, too embarrassed to speak. He was surprised when Santana patted the sofa, inviting him to sit next to her.

"Sorry." He said, pulling on his shoes. He can't believe he listened to Puck.

"Don't apologize, Cowboy. You were making a last minute effort to salvage this awkward date. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made you take me to the same restaurant that Britney works at."

Finn rested his forearms on his knees and turned his head to look at her. "You like her, don't you? Why aren't you out with her right now?"

"I don't know." He watched as she fought with her obviously conflicted emotions. "Why is this so hard?"

Finn smiled. "It has to be hard, so that it's worth it."

"That was surprisingly deep. I'm impressed; I'm tempted to show you my boobs." Finn knew he had no chance with this girl, that much was obvious. Finn also knew that as a dude, you never pass up the opportunity to see boobs. His eyes were focused on her chest in anticipation. "I'm kidding."

He snapped his attention back to her face, chuckling awkwardly. "Oh, I know."

"Sure you do." She laughed for a moment and then sobered. "Thank you for dinner."

"Thanks for the banana bread. It was really good."

Santana stood, going into the kitchen and returning with a bag filled with the delicious bread. "Here take some with you. Berry makes it all the time. She won't miss it." Finn stood, taking the bag from her and moving towards the door.

"Are you sure?" She nodded. "Thanks." Finn opened the door slightly, then looked back. "Santana,"

"Yeah Cowboy?"

Finn smiled and stepped into the doorway. "Good luck with everything." The last thing he saw before he closed the door was a small smile and a nod.

Deciding to walk home, Finn found himself thinking about the events of the evening. He knew that in no way was Santana his soul mate, but he couldn't help but think that somehow she had brought him one step closer to meeting her. Instinctively, Finn rested his hand against his front pocket, silently calling on his lucky iPod for support.

His heart skipped a beat when he could not feel the distinct outline of it in his pocket.

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**A/N- Poor Finn lost his lucky iPod, wonder where it is? Want to know what Rachel was up to? Find out in "Until I Found Him" by RedAmbition. The link is in my bio. Reviews are always welcome and, as always, thank you for reading!**


	4. His Loss

**A/N- You guys are so amazing! Thank you so much for the amazing response to both of these stories! Nipples. It seems as though our suspicions were correct and hardly anybody reads these. Nipples. That does not change how grateful we are for all of you. Nipples. We appreciate your trust in us to tell these stories and sincerely hope you are all still enjoying this unique concept. Nipples. Don't forget to check in on Rachel in "Until I Found Him" by RedAmbition. Nipples. There is a link in my bio. **

**I still do not own Glee, HIMYM, Man of La Mancha, any of the characters, or any of their nipples. Lucky for us, we do own Tessa and Frank and their nipples.**

* * *

"Oh gross! When was the last time you two peeled yourselves off the couch?" Kurt Hummel made his way through his brother's main living space with his nose wrinkled in disgust. He knew that even though Finn kept a pretty clean apartment, whenever Puck came over to play games, it could get gross during the long gaming sessions the two often partook in. He retrieved the garbage can from the kitchen and began tossing loose items inside. "Honestly Finn, how old is this pizza?"

Puck never looked away from the screen as he responded. "Don't get your panties in a twist Lady Hummel; it's from lunch."

"Today?"

Finn paused the game, causing Puck to groan in protest, and threw his controller on the table. He knew his brother wasn't going to let up. "Dude. Calm down, yes it's from today. We haven't been playing that long."

"There is half a pizza and at least a dozen empty soda and water bottles in here. Have you even left the couch to use the restroom or should I order you a new couch?" Kurt meant well. Finn knew that, hell, even Puck knew that, but they were brothers. What fun is it if you can't give each other a hard time?

Puck stood, stretching his stiff muscles. "That reminds me, thanks Petunia." He walked past Kurt, placing a hand on his head and mussing up his perfectly coiffed hair, eliciting a squeal from him.

"Must you hang out with such crude friends?" Kurt asked, deliberately getting louder as Puck moved further away. He stood in front of the decorative mirror hung on the wall by the door and frantically tried to fix his hair with his fingers.

Finn made his way around the apartment, picking up the remaining trash and tossing into the trash can. "What are you doing here Kurt? Don't you have a meeting with the hot coaster people today?"

"It's _Haute Couture_ and I won't meet with them until later. Can't I stop in to see my only brother?"

Finn replaced the trashcan in the kitchen and sat in on the sofa, exactly where he was before. "You can, you know you can. But you only do if you have a reason, so?" Finn wasn't upset that Kurt had dropped by, but he knew his brother. An unscheduled visit can only mean that he wanted something.

"So?" Kurt looked at Finn and immediately saw that he wasn't buying it. "Alright. Fine. I wanted to know if Mom and Dad can stay here when they come next month. I love our parents dearly, Finn, but I simply can't that week."

"Okay."

Kurt had never seen Finn agree to anything so easily and it made him suspicious. He raised an eyebrow at him and took the direct approach, sitting himself in the overstuffed armchair near the couch. "Why was that so easy? What did you do?"

Finn shifted uncomfortably in his seat, not excited about telling him that he had lost his iPod. The same green iPod Kurt gifted him at graduation. "It was an accident." He said simply.

"What? What was an accident? Finn, so help me God, if you ruined that new Gucci suit I got for you, I will toss your video machine out of the window."

"No. Nothing like that." Finn rubbed the back of his neck, clearly nervous. "I, uh, sort lost the iPod you gave me."

"What? That's all?" Kurt asked.

Puck's laughter could be heard in the kitchen. "Tell him how you lost it." He sniggered. Of course he would choose that moment to come out of the bathroom. Finn picked up one of the throw pillows Kurt insisted he needed at and launched it at him, narrowly missing his head.

"It's not important."

Kurt was curious how he had lost it, but if Pucks reaction was anything to go by, he probably didn't want to know. Instead of asking, he just shrugged, watching as Puck replaced the pillow on the couch on his way to the kitchen. "It's time for a new one anyway. They have come out with better ones since that one, and it had that scratch in the face anyway."

"Yeah, but that scratch meant something. It was a memory." The scratch was the result of dropping the iPod on the ground while he was getting his first tattoo. He had been warned that it was going to hurt a little. Finn was a tough guy; he could handle it, right? Unfortunately, he had no idea how much it would hurt when they were working on the bicep portion of his tribal armband. He had been listening to music as they were working on it, then when they hit that one spot, he dropped it. It resulted in the front corner being scratched and not one, but two lectures from Kurt: one about the tattoo, and one about the mistreatment of the iPod. "Why aren't you more upset that I lost it? You had it engraved."

Puck handed each of the men a bottle of water and opened one for himself, plopping his body on the sofa next to Finn. "Yeah, I thought you would flip your shit, Petunia. Finn's more upset about it than you are. I thought he was gonna cry when he first told me."

"I admit that it was a completely genius move on my part to give you the gift of music in the form of an engraved iPod. That was years ago and even I know when to let go." Kurt sent Puck a glare, hoping to convey his displeasure of his presence.

"We can always go see if the chick found it." Puck suggested.

Finn almost choked on the water he was drinking. "No. That's just… no." He was shaking his head furiously.

Kurt sighed dramatically. "I'm certain that I'm going to regret this, but what happened? And if you know where it is, why don't you just go get it back?" Once again, Puck burst out laughing and once again Finn threw the pillow at him. This time though, he got him square in the face. "Children, please. Will somebody just tell me what happened with the iPod?"

Finn sighed. "I'm pretty sure I left it in the apartment of this girl's house after we went on a date."

"Tell him why you think that, Hudson. That's the best part." Puck laughed.

Finn continued, telling Kurt how he had gone out with a gorgeous woman and was invited back to her place, likely out of spite for her ex. He then went on to tell him how he decided to strip naked in hopes of pity sex with a relative stranger, ignoring the look of disbelief on Kurt's face. He told him how he was in a hurry when he threw his pants and how his date handed them back to him, probably leaving behind his iPod in the process.

"So when you threw your pants across her living room, your iPod fell out of your pocket?" Kurt had listened to the story, shaking his head most of the way through. "Why on earth would you think that was a good idea?"

Finn groaned, hating that he was about to admit to this. "It's Puck's fault. This whole thing was his stupid idea." His hands flew in the air in frustration. How was it that Puck was able to make him believe that his very bad ideas were a good idea.

"That's the thanks I get for trying to help you?" Puck asked, offended. "Three out of five, dude. It's not my fault you played the odds."

"Wait. You listened to Puck? Have you seen his haircut? He should not be giving out any advice." Kurt shook his head. These two had been friends a long time, Finn knew that Puck's ideas rarely had good outcome. Kurt would never understand why his brother took advice from him at all. "I should make you go get it back, just to make sure you learned your lesson."

"No. I can't go through that humiliation again. I can't. I'll just get a new one."

Kurt looked thoughtfully for a moment, hoping to help his brother find a solution. "I thought you said it ended well." By all accounts, the story ended with an understanding. She didn't seem upset, at least not the way Kurt heard the story.

"Yeah. Well as in 'I'll never have to see you again,' well." Finn scoffed, burying his face in his hands.

"Doesn't she have your number?" Puck questioned.

Finn let out a quick humorless laugh and removed his face from his hands. "She _did_. I stripped naked without warning in her living room; I think it's safe to say she deleted my number."

"That's probably a fair assumption." Kurt agreed. He was one to make sure his brother learned his lesson and this time, it seemed he had. Feeling generous, Kurt decided to let him off the hook. "All is forgiven; you may get a new one."

~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~

Finn groaned as he took in the sight of the long line in front of him. The last thing he wanted to do after a twenty-four hour shift was to wait in line, but if he was going to have lunch with Kurt today, he was going to need all the help he can get and coffee was a must. He placed himself at the back of the line, ready to wait it out.

The line moved relatively smoothly, Finn could hear the names being called seemingly one after another from behind the counter. Knowing he still had time before it was his turn to order, Finn pulled his phone out of his pocket, hoping to play a game while he waited. He was looking down at it, deciding the best move to make, when he heard an otherwise angelic voice chastising the barista.

_"I specifically asked for no milk in my drinks. I can't have it; I'll break out into hives if I drink this."_

Finn peered around the crowd, trying to catch a glimpse of the girl. It was made difficult by the way the line zig-zagged through the store. Even though Finn was a very tall guy, it only helped so much when there were so many people packed in your line of sight. He could see barely see the barista. He couldn't hear what she was saying, but she appeared to be smiling and he could no longer hear the girl. The barista called out another name, and Finn glimpsed at the door, hoping to see who the strong willed woman was. The only thing he saw was the retreating figure of a dark haired woman on a cell phone, holding a coffee in each hand and weaving through the crowd on her way out the door. As soon as she could no longer be seen, Finn turned his attention back to his phone.

In a strange way, Finn admired the stranger's determination. She had –apparently- been wronged and she wasn't going to stand for that. She may have been a tad over-dramatic about it, but hey, if he was faced with the possibility of breaking out in hives, he might be over-dramatic too.

He had pocketed his phone and spent his remaining time in line thinking about the events of the last couple weeks. Not every experience was a positive one, but Finn realized that he, too, had determination. He stepped to the counter, smiling at the young red headed barista.

"I'll have a Grande White Chocolate Mocha, please."

For some reason, he was suddenly feeling better about his days planned activities. He might even have time to buy a new iPod before lunch.

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**A/N- One of my favorite things in this story is when Finn says "hot coaster," I laugh every time. Want to know what Rachel was doing? Check out "Until I Found Him" by RedAmbition. Reviews are always appreciated. **


	5. His Trouble

**A/N- Well, it seems some of you are reading these! I'm so happy you picked up on the HIMYM reference. Now that we have your attention, we would like to remind you that this story is a journey. We realize that the concept is different in that these are basically two separate stories that (so far) have not allowed our main characters to interact. I assure you that it will happen eventually, but they must both be ready for it. Just, please trust us. Also, to those of you who watch HIMYM, never fear. This is a Finchel endgame story. They will live happily ever after. **

**Thank you for all the reviews, favorites, alerts, and twitter messages. It means a lot that you are here. This chapter was a ton of fun to do. Don't forget to see what Rachel was up to in "Until I Found Him" by RedAmbition (there is a link in my bio).**

**I do not own Glee, HIMYM, Man of La Mancha, the characters used, or any of the music. We do own Tessa and Frank, they are delightful. **

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"Hello, Finn! What are you doing here?" Quinn held open the door to her apartment and moved to the side, ushering Finn inside.

Finn noticed that his friend was still dressed in her skirt and blouse that she would normally wear to work, but he didn't think much of it. He knew she sometimes worked late; she could have just got home. "Can't I just stop in and see you? I missed you." Finn Smiled and wrapped his arms around his long-time friend. "What's the deal? You don't have time for your best friend now that you are married?" He teased, pulling back and releasing her so he could enter the apartment more fully.

Quinn and Sam had returned from their honeymoon and except for a celebratory dinner a couple days after they returned Finn had not seen her since the wedding. Finn had found himself with a lack of plans for the day and decided to drop in on her and her Sam, knowing they would both be off today.

She closed the door behind him, following him into the room. "Of course I do. How else would I hear about the naked man?" Quinn smirked, raising an eyebrow as she crossed her arms.

"It totally works dude." The pair could hear Sam interjecting from someplace down the hallway and Quinn covered her mouth as a small giggle escaped her.

Finn was not amused. "Why does everybody think that is so funny? Who told you?"

"Come on. I'm sure you already know. I work at the same magazine as your brother for heaven sakes." She shrugged. Finn reacted just as Quinn had hoped. As soon as Kurt had told her the story, she had been looking forward to teasing Finn and she was finding a great deal of pleasure in his embarrassment. Usually, he was the one teasing her; it was nice to be on the other end for once.

Finn groaned and made a mental note to punch his brother. Finn shook his head. "I'm going to kill Kurt." Part of him hoped that Kurt had told her the whole story so that he wouldn't have to. "It's over and I learned from it, can we just move on? How has work been since you got back?"

"It's been busy. I just barely caught up at work. Patrice wrote my column while I was gone and it did not go over well. I had to write a new piece before the magazine went to print. It was a struggle, but I managed."

"You've had to clean her messes before, I'm sure you did just fine." Finn looked up to see Sam coming out of the back room, looking like he was dressed to go out.

Sam finished adjusting the pin striped white button down shirt he was wearing. "Hey babe, you ready?" Quinn nodded and he looked over at Finn, reaching out to shake his hand. "Hey man, you coming with us?"

"I'm sure he wouldn't want to see this movie."

"Hey," Finn said. "Are you trying to get rid of me?" He had planned on hanging out with Quinn and Sam today, but he didn't know they had plans.

Quinn picked up her purse and took Sam's hand. "It's an independent movie one of my friends from work recommended. It's not like the usual movies that you go to. You are welcome to join us but there aren't any superheroes in it."

"There are plenty of decent movies without superheroes." Finn defended. Honestly though, he couldn't think of a single one right now. "What's it called?"

Quinn smirked at him and opened the front door. "_I Don't Wanna Know. _Have you heardof it?"

"I haven't," he said as they trio walked into the hallway and into the elevator. "I didn't plan on doing anything except coming to catch up with you guys tonight. I wouldn't mind seeing a movie, if you're sure that it's okay that I tag along." Finn looked down at the blue plaid shirt he was wearing over his plain white t-shirt. "And you don't mind that I'm not really dressed up."

Quinn eyed his casual clothing. "It will be fine and of course you are welcome to join us, Finn. It might be fun. We haven't been to a movie together for a while."

Sam pressed the button and the doors closed. "It got good reviews from the paper, but I'm not completely sure what it's about."

They made their way to the small movie theater, purchasing their tickets with ease. Every time Finn had ever been to the movie –both here and in Ohio- he had to wait in line. He was pleased that the theater had plenty of sour patch kids and popcorn, but a part of him was worried that the lobby was so empty. There were four screens in this theater, shouldn't there be more people?

They entered the theater, occupied by only a few other small groups of people, and settled in three seats a few rows up and just off center. In the time before the movie started, Quinn and Sam told Finn about the thing they saw on their Hawaiian honeymoon, thankfully sparing him the more intimate details. Soon enough, the lights dimmed and the movie started and they sat back, ready to enjoy the movie.

"Brad said this movie was really good." Quinn whispered.

"Shhh. It's starting."

Finn and Quinn shared a look at the strangers shushing and settled back in their seats. Quinn took Sam's hand and rested her head on Sam's shoulder as the movie began.

Finn watched intently for the first twenty minutes of the movie, hoping that it would somehow get better. From what he knew so far, the main characters met online and started to date without realizing that they are actually brother and sister. It was awful and every time the two held hands or shared a longing look, Finn had to resist the urge to gag. He had completely lost his appetite and tucked the remaining sour patch kids in his pocket, resting the mostly full popcorn tub on his lap. Bored and wildly uninterested in the crappy movie playing on the screen, Finn picked up one of the kernels and tossed it haphazardly into the seats in front of him.

Then another.

And another.

Quinn leaned over and smacked his arm. "Would you stop that? You are going to get us kicked out." She warned in a harsh whisper.

"This movie sucks. Brad was wrong."

"Just behave." Quinn warned, settling back in her spot against Sam.

Finn tried. He really did. He looked up at the ceiling, wondering how he could further his quest for love. He did want to find someone to share his life with but he knew he couldn't make it happen. He was moving forward by going out more when he would sometimes rather stay home. He was just being more open to new experiences.

But not any of the ones in this movie.

He made it another ten minutes into the movie, wishing it had been longer, before he spotted a discarded cup standing upright in the main isle a few rows in front of him. Getting an idea, he carefully glanced at Quinn, making sure she couldn't see him and discretely tossed a piece of popcorn at the cup. The kernel landed about a foot away from it and he adjusted his aim and threw another. This one was closer, landing only a few inches away and he tried again. The kernel hit the straw and came to rest on the lid of the cup and Finn temporarily forgot where he was. "Yes!"

"Shhh." The harsh shushing came from behind him, and Finn sat back in his seat, pretending to be innocent.

He looked up at the screen to see the 'lovers' kissing and quickly looked away, his eyes falling on the large purse resting on the floor a few chairs away from the abandoned cup. The woman who it belonged to was fully into the movie, though Finn had no idea how. He saw the open purse as a way to pass the time and keep his focus away from the display of incest happening on the screen. He stole another glance at Quinn and then took out another kernel. Before long, the kernels were littered all over and inside the purse. He was readying the next one when a beam of bright light was being shined in his face.

"Sir, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave."

The large security guard waited in the isle as Finn gave Quinn an apologetic look and scooted out of his seat. He climbed the stairs with the guard following behind him and they entered the lobby of the theater. Finn turned, extending his hand to the guard. "Thanks for helping me out back there…" Finn leaned in closer, reading the man's name tag. "Frank. You might have saved my life."

The man laughed still leading him towards the door. "That bad huh?"

"Worse." Finn shook his head of the memories of the sibling kissing on screen. "Did you know that that movie was about a brother and sister falling in love…" Finn shuddered, "With _each other?_ I may never recover." Finn noticed Frank wrinkling his nose and once again shuddered at the thought of the movie. "I'm happy you got me out of there."

"Well, next time, how about you just leave instead of throwing popcorn." Frank was almost laughing even as he was telling Finn to behave. "Usually guys will only come in here when they are trying to impress a girl."

Finn shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "Not this time. I was here with my best friend and her husband." Finn couldn't wait to ask Sam if he enjoyed the movie. He was probably only putting up with it at all because he knew Quinn would reward him for his making it through the movie. Finn took another step towards the door and then stopped, turning to face Frank. "Can I ask you something, Frank?"

"Sure, why not."

He hesitated at first. After all, Frank is a stranger, one who was currently in the process of kicking him out of a movie theater. He thought again about asking the man something so personal but maybe advice from a stranger is exactly what he needed. "Are you married?"

"I am. Twenty-two years now." Frank pulled out his wallet and opened it, showing Finn some pictures of his family. "That's my wife, Wendy, and our three kids. Samantha and Evan are both in college and Emily is a junior in high school." Frank was obviously proud of his family as he pointed out the smiling faces in the photograph and Finn smiled.

It was comforting to him that Frank had somebody to love. Despite not knowing the man, his happiness made Finn happy. "That's a good looking family. You look happy." Frank nodded and tucked his wallet back into his back pocket. "Do you think there is someone out there for everybody?" Was there one special somebody out there waiting for him like he was waiting for her?

He nodded. "Yeah, why not. You can't go looking for it, though. You gotta let it come to you. It will happen" Frank opened the front door to the theater, standing aside so Finn could get through. "Just because she may not have been in the movie theater tonight, doesn't mean she's not out there."

"Thanks man. Have a good night."

"Have a nice night sir." Frank said, closing the door behind Finn.

Finn walked out onto the sidewalk, his hands still in his pockets. He looked left, then right, trying to decide what he was going to do with the rest of his evening. His fingers suddenly became aware of the iPod resting in his pocket and he removed it. He fumbled with the still new-to-him controls of the blue replacement iPod, settling his favorite playlist and hitting 'shuffle' as he plugged in the headphones that he kept with him.

When he placed the ear buds in his ears, he was pleased to hear _Don't Stop_ _Believing _playing. He smiled to himself as he replaced the iPod in his pocket and began walking down the sidewalk. It seemed fitting that his iPod was reminding him to be optimistic about his future. She was out there and he was determined to find her.

He just needed to call his mom and make sure he didn't have any sisters that he didn't know about.

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**A/N- Oh Finn... causing trouble at the theater. Tisk-tisk. Wonder what Rachel was up to? Go read "Until I Found Him" by RedAmbition. Reviews are always welcome.**


	6. His Plans

**A/N- Thank you! Thank you for trusting us to tell this story, and sticking with us while we do. You know how much we love Finchel and that we will do right by them by telling this story the best way possible. Every chapter has point, every relationship has a purpose. Don't forget to read "Until I Found Him" by RedAmbition to see what is happening with Rachel. **

**I still do not own Glee, HIMYM, Man of La Mancha, any of the characters, or the music used. Except Tessa and Frank, those two belong to us.**

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"This has been the slowest shift ever."

Puck took the soapy cloth from the bucket of water and swirled it around on the door of the bright red fire engine. "How many times have we washed this truck today?" He asked, dunking his cloth in the bucket once again.

"Too many." Finn groaned. He stopped scrubbing the large tire of the fire engine and looked at Puck. "How about we go to the bar after work?"

His head swiveled quickly, surprised at what Finn was suggesting. "No shit? Are you suggesting we willingly go out and have fun?" Finn rarely made the suggestion that they go out. He was usually willing to go, after some persuasion from Puck; he just wasn't the one suggesting it. Ever since Quinn's wedding and the realization that he was ready for a more serious relationship, Finn had been trying to put himself out there more. After all, it's hard to meet new people from inside his apartment. "You aren't even going to make me drag you out of the house."

"Not this time." Finn chuckled.

Puck tossed the rag into the bucket, causing sudsy water to splash over the sides. "Well then, we better take advantage of this while we can." He aimed the nozzle at the truck and sprayed, intentionally splashing his friend.

The rest of the shift continued to pass at an agonizing pace for the men and when it was over they were both happy to be at their favorite bar. Puck had been knocking back beers and shots for the better part of two hours now and was playing his own game of connect the bimbos while Finn was making an effort at meeting new people. Women mostly. He had been actively making his way throughout the bar, beer in hand, most of the night. Every time the men would cross paths, they would get a progress report and part ways again.

So far it had working great and they were having fun.

"Did you get her number?" Puck asked before ordering another drink.

Finn subtly looked over where he had just left a pretty brunette. "Nah. She had a boyfriend. He was in the restroom." He rolled his eyes, sipping from his drink once again.

"How about her?" Puck nodded his head in the direction of a tall, blonde woman talking to a couple female friends who were standing back from the bar just enough not to be in the way. Puck watched as Finn glanced at the woman then returned his attention back to him. He could tell that Finn wasn't interested, her very short shorts, hoop earrings, and revealing halter top indicating that she was more Puck's type. Puck could have hit on her himself, but instead decided to play his favorite game. "I'll help." Puck reached out and tapped the woman on the shoulder. "Have you met Finn?" he asked her, gesturing to a red faced Finn. As he usually did, Puck wagged his eyebrows at Finn and turned quickly, forcing him to talk to the woman.

She turned her attention to Finn, grinning maniacally. "Sorry about that." Finn was used these kinds of stunts from his longtime friend. Puck had done it the very first time they went out together and continued to do it every chance he got. Finn usually found it best to just go with it.

"That's okay. I'm Tessa." The girl was obviously drunk. She was giggling incessantly as she held her hand out to Finn.

Finn took her hand, shaking it gently. "Finn. Nice to meet you."

"Finn! I love that name." Tessa hiccuped causing her balance to shift and she stumbled slightly.

He reached out to catch her, lifting her back onto her feet and holding her a few seconds until she was able stand on her own. "Whoa there. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She assured. The DJ began playing an upbeat dance mix of _Blurred Lines _and _Ice Ice Baby_ and Tessa immediately raised her hands in the air. "WOOOO" She turned to face her friends and then raised her hands again. "WOOOO. I love this song!"

Apparently she was done making small talk with Finn. He watched as the girl continued to yell and wave her hands in the air all the way to the dance floor. Finn turned and took the few steps necessary to stand at the bar once again, holding up his glass to get the attention of the bartender.

The middle aged, well-built bartender stood in front of Finn but did not look up from the glass he was drying. "What can I get for you?" He asked.

"Blue Moon, please."

"Vodka Tonic, please."

He had no idea someone was standing beside him. Finn looked to his left to see a young woman with brunette hair standing next to him at the bar. He smiled politely at her and gestured to the bartender. "You go ahead."

"You were here first. Please." She, too, gestured at the bartender.

He shook his head. "No way. Ladies first. I insist." Finn's mother would kill him if he didn't insist.

"Okay." She turned her attention to the bartender, once again telling him she would like a Vodka Tonic.

He turned to Finn, holding out the damp towel. "And you sir?"

"Oh, uh, Blue Moon please." The man nodded and moved down the bar to make the drinks and Finn turned to the girl again. "Sorry, I didn't see you come up beside me."

She giggled lightly. "That's okay. My friends say I tend to sneak up on people. I guess I better work on that." She smiled at him and extended her hand. "Marley."

"Finn. Nice to meet you." Finn shook her hand, releasing it just as the bartender returned with their drinks. The both reached into their pockets, but Finn held out his hand to stop her. "This one's on me."

Marley seemed nice and not at all like any of the women Puck was usually suggesting he date, not that Puck ever suggested 'dating' anybody. She seemed well put together and generally approachable, making Finn think that he should find out a little more about her before calling it a night.

Marley smiled and took her drink, sipping from the glass daintily as Finn paid. "Thank you, Finn."

"You're welcome." Finn sipped from his own drink and they walked away from the bar casually. "What is it that you do Marley?"

She stopped at a small table and silently asked if he would like to sit, he nodded, pulling out a chair for her. She sat and he took the empty seat next to her, placing his beer on the table. "I'm a teacher. Third grade. What about you?"

"A teacher? That's cool. I'm a firefighter."

She smiled, sipping from her drink once again. "That sounds like it would be fun. Do you enjoy it?"

"Yeah. I get to help people and drive a really big truck. It's pretty cool to drive down a busy street and have people move out of your way." That was always Finn's favorite part about being a firefighter. The first time he sat in the front seat and saw the cars parting in front of him, he knew he had chosen the right career. "Working with kids must be cool, huh? Do you like it?"

"Yes. This is my second year. I've got lots of smart kids this year." She brushed the hair away from her face and took a drink from her glass as she waited for his reply.

Talking to Marley was easy. He didn't feel nervous talking to her, he felt like he was talking to an old friend. "Is there a reason you decided on third grade?"

"It was what was available when I applied." She said honestly, causing them both to laugh. When the laughter subsided, they both took another drink from their respective cups. "I do enjoy them though. Third grade is the age just before they start to turn."

Finn tilted his head and raised his eyebrows. "Turn?"

"They don't turn into zombies or anything." She teased. "Third grade is the last year that the students are really kids. For some reason, fourth graders tend to be meaner. Just the other day I had a random fourth grader come up to me a kick me in the shin." She shook her head and took a sip from her depleting glass. "The little turd wasn't even in my class."

He laughed, deep and full, and finished the last drink of his beer. "You must have really upset him."

"Not until after he kicked me. He was not happy to miss his recess for the rest of the week."

Finn laughed again, enjoying the casual conversation. "I bet." He lifted his empty glass, attempting to drink from it only to realize that it was empty. "I'm gonna go get another drink, can I get you another?"

"That would be very nice, thank you."

"Vodka Tonic?" She nodded. "Okay. I'll be right back. Save my seat." He teased, walking away from the table.

As Finn made his way to the bar, he couldn't help but think about the way his evening had gone. He had put himself out there, even deciding to drag Puck out for the night and after a few attempts, met someone he could hold a conversation with. He wasn't feeling that spark that they talked about in the movies Quinn likes to make him watch, but he was having fun. He ordered the drinks and weaved his way back to the table, happy to see that Marley was still waiting for him.

"You're still here?" He put her drink in front of her and placed the drink in front of her, smiling at his own joke.

She shrugged. "You weren't gone long enough for me to make any other plans."

"I'll be sure to take longer next time." They laughed together for a moment, stopping to take a drink of their freshly refilled drinks.

"Yo! Hudson!" Finn looked up to see his inebriated friend hanging off the equally inebriated woman he had met earlier in the evening. "This is Tessa." The blonde let out woo and Puck turned and laid a long sloppy kiss on her lips. Finn and Marley shared a look, avoiding looking at the drunken display of affection. "I just wanted you to tell you that me and Tessa are leaving." He looked at Finn and wiggled his eyebrows, surely thinking that he was being discrete.

Finn rolled his eyes. "Okay man. I'll see you at the station. Have fun."

"You too."

Finn took a drink from his beer as he watched his friend leave the bar with yet another girl, the same girl he had attempted a conversation with earlier. He had no idea how Puck managed to take home a different girl every night. That wasn't his style, but he felt like had at least made a new friend tonight. He owed it to himself to see if there could be something between them. "Sorry about him." Finn smiled, hoping to ease the awkwardness caused by the interruption. "He's not quite housebroken."

Marley laughed. "It's fine. He seems interesting."

"Yeah. It will be interesting when he calls me to bail him out of jail someday." They both laughed and Finn took a sip from his drink. "I should probably be getting going too. I'm supposed to go to lunch with a friend tomorrow, but this has been fun."

"It has," she agreed. "I should probably get back to my friends anyway, I kind of ditched them." She giggled, looking around.

Finn took a longer sip of his drink, hoping to calm himself as the reminder that he was a grown man played in his head. "Would you like to do it again sometime?"

"Sure. I would like that."

He took his phone out of his pocket, passing it to her. "Can I get your number? I'll call you and we can plan something."

She took the phone and entered in her number, passing it back to him. "I would like that."

"It was nice meeting you, Marley. I'll call you soon."

* * *

**A/N- I could tell you to trust me, I could tell you that this will be resolved quickly, I could tell you that we are getting close... Instead, I'll just wait here while you guys round up the villagers with their torches and pitchforks. Don't forget to check in with Rachel in "Until I Found Him." The link is in my bio. Reviews are always welcome (being mean is not).**


	7. His Perseverance

**A/N- Well, that could have been worse. Thank you for the trust! We are so close! Don't forget to read what Rachel is up to in "Until I Found Him" by RedAmbition. The link is in my bio.**

**I still do not own Glee, HIMYM, Man of La Mancha, the characters, or the music. I do still co-own Tessa and Frank. **

* * *

"Hello, Brother mine." Kurt took in the plaid button up shirt that Finn had tucked into his jeans. Kurt has never been a fan of Finn's decision to wear so much plaid; he tried every chance he got to rid Finn's wardrobe of it completely. "Are you going somewhere?"

Finn looked down at his chosen attire for the evening, now suddenly second guessing his decision. "I'm going out." He smoothed the front of his jeans and smiled proudly. "I have a date."

"With a girl?"

Finn swatted at his brother. "Yes with a girl. What are you even doing here?" Kurt's presence wasn't unwelcomed, but Finn was already anxious about this date. He had waited the customary three days before he called Marley, asking her to go miniature golfing with him this weekend. He was supposed to be picking her up at her place soon and he needed to make sure he left himself enough time to pick up flowers and get on the subway.

Kurt gasped. "You have a date?" Once again, he eyed the outfit Finn was wearing; this time more critically. "There is no way I'm letting you go out with a girl looking like that."

"I don't have time to change six times, Kurt." Finn looked critically at the red hat Kurt was wearing and raised an eyebrow at him. "Besides, what are you even wearing?" The tight red pants and fedora were bad enough, but when you add in the red tie and red, white, and blue striped sweater, Finn felt like maybe he shouldn't be taking fashion advice from him.

Never mind that he was in fact a fashion editor for one of the largest magazines in New York.

"Need I remind you that fashion _is_ my job, Finn. Come on, you don't want to be late." Kurt put both of his hands on Finn's back, pushing him into his bedroom. He opened the closet, muttering a string of _no's_ and _not on your life's_, finally handing Finn a pair of dark brown slacks and a white button up shirt with vertical stripes. "Here. Change into this. I'll find you a tie."

Finn groaned. "We are going mini golfing…" Finn was cut off by an intense look of distaste as his brother paused his search for a tie. "I'm not wearing a tie." Finn took the new ensemble into the other room to change, ignoring Kurt's insistence that he needed to wear a tie. When he came back, he held out his arms and turned slowly. "Better?"

"Much. You really should wear a tie. It will really class this up." He walked over to him and held two different ties to his shirt, trying to decide which looked better. "You can use all the class you can get Finn."

He swatted at the ties being held to his chest. "I'm not wearing a tie. End of story. I have to go." He once again eyed the bright red hat, tipped over Kurt's eye strategically. "You look like you're going out too. You never said why you are here?"

"You were on my way and I was going to invite you to come along if you didn't have plans."

"Well, thanks for thinking of me, I guess." The two men walked into the living room and Finn stooped slightly to check his hair in the mirror one last time. "Where are you going?"

Kurt held back a chuckle as he told him where he is going. "_Decadent."_

"That new gay bar?" Finn held open his from door ushering Kurt out before closing and locking the door behind them. "What makes you think I would enjoy going there?" Seriously, why?

Kurt was outright laughing as they entered the elevator and it began to travel downward. "I didn't, but I enjoyed that very much." The elevator dinged and they made their way to the street, Kurt still amused at his reaction. "But I did get to help you with your wardrobe, so I'll take it." They paused, ready to part ways for their respective evenings out. "Have fun tonight."

"You too." Finn shook his head and placed his hands in his front pocket. His fingers idly toyed with the iPod in his pocket as he made his way to the nearest subway station. Once in the terminal, he eyed the schedule and mentally compared it to where he needed to go. He had made it on time, thankfully, and boarded his train.

Knowing that there were flower vendors on nearly every corner, Finn waited to pick a bouquet until after he was off the subway. Not surprisingly, there was one just outside the entrance. He picked a small bouquet of white and yellow daisies and finished his journey to Marley's apartment. He stood at the entrance and rang the buzzer; repeating some breathing exercises while he waited. He didn't have to wait long before she buzzed him up.

"Hey Finn."

"Hey. You look nice. I, uh, got these for you." He extended the small bouquet, handing it to her gently. He noticed how the form fitting sleeveless dress fell just above her knees. Her dark hair was long and straight with the slightest of wave to it. She did look nice.

Marley smiled and smelled the flowers. "Thank you. They are beautiful. I'm just going to put them in water." She turned walking into her kitchen to place the flowers in a vase while Finn waited awkwardly in the doorway. After a minute, she returned, grabbing her purse from its spot by the door. "Okay. I'm ready."

Finn moved into the hallway, allowing her to lock up her apartment, and they made their way out into the city. "I haven't been mini golfing in forever."

"Me either. It should be fun though."

Even though Finn had taken the subway to Marley's apartment, he decided that they would take a cab to _Club Putt-Putt._ It made for better first date etiquette. The cab ride afforded them the opportunity to get through the customary small talk and they approached the front desk ready to play. They received their clubs and headed out to the course.

_Club Putt-Putt_ was well known for having three different nine-hole courses. They had a pizzeria on the second level of the main floor and an arcade on the main level, catering to an all-day adventure.

The first hole, a straight shot over a small bridge was up first. "You go first." Finn insisted.

"Are you sure?"

Finn smiled. "Haven't we been through this? You're up."

"I guess we have." Marley placed her orange golf ball on the ground at the designated spot and readied her stance. She lined up her shot, tapping the ball lightly and sending it over the bridge and past the hole. "Dang it."

Finn stepped up, placing the light blue ball on the ground. He lined it up and tried to determine how much force would be required. He tapped the ball, barely sending it over the bridge. "I think your shot was better."

"It was. I thought you said you played sports?"

He laughed, watching as she lined up her next shot. "Mini golf is not a sport."

She laughed slightly as she tapped the ball into the cup. "Yes!"

"Nice shot." He lined up his own shot, tapping his own ball into the hole. "Sweet!" he reached into the hole, pulling out both of the golf balls and handing hers to her. Their fingers brushed slightly and Finn was surprised at how little he felt when they touched.

They continued working their way through the course, each taking turns being in the lead, until they were at the end of the first nine holes. So far, the two were having a great time, laughing and joking at each turn.

Finn was trying hard to move past the lack of romantic connection with her, though. She was a smart, nice, fun, pretty girl. Why was he not feeling the intense attraction that you would expect to feel on a date? Or any attraction beyond a friendly one?

"This is it, Finn. If I sink this, I win." Marley lined up the last shot, concentrating on sinking the putt. She tapped it lightly, sending the ball into the hole. She jumped up and down and launched herself into Finn's arms. Without warning, she pressed her lips to his in a quick and awkward kiss.

The second her lips were on his, Finn knew. Marley was great, but she wasn't his end game. He released her, setting her down gently. "You want to get some pizza?"

"Yeah."

The mood had instantly turned awkward and Finn didn't like it. He liked Marley and despite not wanting to pursue a romantic relationship, he did want to be her friend. They went to the pizzeria, ordering in an awkward silence.

"So…"

"I'm…"

They spoke at the same time, each trying to end the silence. Finn gestured for her to go first.

"I'm sorry I kissed you." She spoke quietly, the embarrassment coming through in her words.

Finn reached out and patted her hand. "Don't worry about it." He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to formulate the next sentence properly in his mind before he blurted something out. "Did you… uh… did you feel anything? Back then."

Marley look down at the table. "No," she said softly. "I'm so sorry Finn. I kissed you because I needed to know. This date has been great, you have been great company and a perfect gentleman, and I needed to know if there was anything there. I felt like I was out with my best friend or an older brother." The mention of dating a sibling caused Finn to involuntarily shudder as she continued. "I needed to know."

"I'm glad you did. Now we both know. I like you, but only as a friend." He watched as she let out a sign of relief while he mentally did the same.

"Pizza."

Finn looked up at the welcome distraction of the pimply faced kid who was placing their pizza on the table. "Thanks man." The kid walked away, leaving the pair alone once again. "How about we eat this pizza and then we go out and play the last nine holes as _friends_. You can let me try to redeem my man card."

Marley took a slice of the pizza, blowing on it in an attempt to cool it off. "I'd say, you're on. But I can't promise you winning."

Just like that, the friendly atmosphere had returned. After the finished the pizza, they played the remaining nine holes, where Finn won in a tie breaking shot. Finn made sure she returned home safely where they parted ways amicably and he began his journey home.

He entered the subway and was surprised to see the amount of people on the platform. Usually, by this time, people had reached their destinations and it was too early to for them to be coming home for the night. He stood waiting for his train while watching the people milling about.

He was watching a short man in a shiny silver jacket dancing by himself near the edge of platform. The man wasn't good at all, but Finn admired his lack of self-consciousness. When the train began to pull away, it caught his attention and his eyes fell on the silhouette of a woman leaning her head on the shoulder of the man sitting next to her. His eyes were glued on her until the train was out of his view.

He moved closer, making sure he would be able to board his train and he wondered about the events of the day. He's not sure why things didn't work with Marley; on paper she was fine, she just wasn't the one for him. He wasn't sure why he was still single, despite actively looking for love in the city.

What he did know, was that he had no intention of giving up.

* * *

**A/N- See? I told you it would be resolved quick. He felt nothing for her. I promise that was still difficult to write. I heart Finn. Good things happening in the next chapter! Don't forget to check in on Rachel. Reviews are welcome. **


	8. His Show

**A/N- What's this? A double update? Enjoy! **

**We still don't own Glee, HIMYM, Man of La Mancha, the characters, or the music. We do own own Tessa and Frank. **

* * *

"So, how is what's-his-face?"

The busy lives than Finn and Kurt each had kept them from getting together too often. Wanting to maintain the close bond they had formed after their parents were married, the men tried to meet regularly for lunch. They had shared a dorm when they first moved to New York, only bringing them closer. After they each had a respectable well-paying job, it was decided that they should get their own places. Today, they were at a deli near Kurt's place.

"His name is not _what's-his-face_, Finn." Kurt rolled his eyes and took a bite of his salad, eyes his brother warningly. "His name is _Blaine_."

Finn smirked. He knew his name, but he couldn't resist giving his brother a hard time. He had met Blaine at _Decadent _a few weeks ago and the men had hit it off right away. They had been out several times since and Finn was sure he had never seen his brother happier. He was happy for Kurt and so far he had heard a lot of great things about Blaine. "Okay, how is Blaine?"

"He's dreamy." Kurt looked off into space, probably day dreaming about his new boyfriend.

Finn wrinkled his nose and pushed his empty plate away. "Ewww. Not what I meant, dude."

"First, I'm not your dude. Second, even though I will probably regret it, I wanted to ask you something." He daintily dabbed at the corners of his mouth and then replaced the napkin back on his lap. "Blaine's play is opening this weekend and I don't want to go alone. Will you come with me?"

Finn had only ever been to one play before and he wasn't super impressed. Who wants to see their favorite guy movie turned into a musical? "What was the play again?" He asked cautiously.

"Man of La Mancha, Finn. Don't you listen to anything I say?"

Finn laughed. This one was just too easy. "Of course not, I'm your brother." Kurt took in a sharp breath and gave Finn a look that suggested he was not amused, causing Finn to relent. "Kidding, geez. That's the one with _Impossible Dream _right?"

"It is. Wait a minute. Have you never seen the play?" He placed both hands on the table and leaned in closer to Finn. "The song you have been listening to since you were a little kid. The song you tortured me with for years when our parents got married is from that play, Finn. And you have never seen it?"

Finn shook his head. "The only play I saw didn't really do it for me and Mom only liked the song. It's not like we had Broadway in Ohio, you know."

"Why do you think I wanted to move here?" He lifted the napkin and once again dabbed at his mouth. "That settles it then, you are coming with me."

Finn wasn't opposed to seeing more plays and hopefully Kurt wouldn't drag him to a really bad play. Hopefully. "Alright, I'll go."

"Wonderful, Finn. You won't regret it."

He better not.

~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~

"What is that?"

Finn looked down at the suit Kurt had insisted he wear to opening night of Blaine's play. He wore the black dress pants and pin striped shirt just as he had instructed; he was even wearing the provided vest and tie. "What? I'm wearing the suit you wanted me to wear."

"Yes. But the tie is supposed to be snug, Finn. It's not supposed to dangle around your neck like it was a last minute edition. And for crying out loud, would it kill you to tuck in your shirt once in a while?"

Finn gently tugged at the striped tie, happy with its placement. "It was too tight. Besides, I like it like this. I look awesome." Finn looked at the weird scarf thing Kurt had tucked into the unbuttoned collar of his plain white shirt and the simple black vest was fastened at all five buttons. Finn decided that even though he would never wear that, Kurt looked good too. "You look pretty awesome too."

"Of course I do." Kurt looked critically at Finn's ensemble on last time. "At least you are wearing it. Come on, if we don't get there early, we won't get to see Blaine before the show." Kurt grabbed a bouquet of flowers he had got for Blaine and followed Finn out of his apartment, being sure to lock up behind them.

He turned, holding his hand over his heart. "We? You mean you are finally going to let me meet him?"

"It was inevitable, Finn, just try not to embarrass me." In the elevator, Kurt raked his eyes over Finn again, clearly still upset about the state of his tie and untucked shirt. "Too much."

The brothers made their way to the off-Broadway theater where Blaine was to make his debut, all the while chatting about the major happenings in each other's lives. At one point, Kurt was sure to give Finn a quick lesson in theater etiquette, making Finn promise to behave.

Once at the theater, the men made their way through the corridors, eventually arriving at the specified door that would lead them back stage to see Blaine. In front of the door sat an older gentleman in a burgundy suit holding a clipboard.

"Can I help you?" The man asked.

Kurt smiled politely, gesturing between himself and Finn. "Yes, my name is Kurt Hummel and this is my brother Finn, we are guests of Blaine Anderson."

The guard searched his clipboard briefly, before tapping it twice and looking back at Kurt. "Here you are." He opened the door behind him, giving them access to the backstage area. "Go ahead and go back. Mr. Anderson should be warming up in dressing room B."

Kurt was in awe as they weaved their way back stage in an effort to find dressing room B. There were people scurrying around in various stage of costume causing both men to do several double takes at the people around them. Spotting the room they were looking for, Kurt knocked on it softly.

"Kurt! Thank you so much for coming!" Blaine smiled widely, eyeing the bouquet of flowers Kurt was holding. He was already dressed in his costume as he ushered Kurt and Finn into his dressing room. Kurt handed him the bouquet of stargazer and blue irises bundled neatly in a mason jar. "For me? Kurt, they are gorgeous. Thank you." Blaine set the arrangement on the table in his room, admiring them for a moment before turning his attention back the Kurt and Finn.

"It was my pleasure and you know I wouldn't miss your opening night." He said, hugging him tightly. "Blaine, this is my brother, Finn. Finn, this is Blaine." He gestured between the two men, watching as they shook hands.

"It's nice to meet you." Finn was studying Blaine, who was on the shorter side with dark curly hair. Finn was trying to figure out where his costume began and ended and he silently wondered if he would be able to recognize him in the real world.

"You too."

Finn looked around the dressing room, then back to Blaine. He noticed him weave his arm through Kurt's, bringing him closer to his side. "Are you nervous?"

Blaine shrugged and stole a glance at Kurt. "A little, but it usually goes away when I'm on stage."

"I don't know you guys do it. I could never be up on the stage like that."

"Aren't you a firefighter?" Blaine asked incredulously.

Finn furrowed his brow, curious as to why he was asking. "Yeah."

"You can run into burning buildings but not go on stage?"

Finn laughed. "Point taken."

"So Blaine, what are you doing after the show?" Kurt turned, never letting go of Blaine's arm as he waited for a reply.

"We are having our opening night cast party right after the show. I kinda promised some of the cast that I would be there." He said apologetically. "Are we still on for brunch tomorrow?"

Kurt smoothed his hand down the smaller man's shoulder, smiling widely. "Of course." He released himself, kissing him quickly. "We better let you get ready."

"It was nice meeting you." Finn said, extending his hand to Blaine once again.

Blaine smiled and Finn was happy that in the short time he had spent with him, he could honestly say that he liked him. "You too, Finn." Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt, bringing him in for a hug once again. "And I will see you tomorrow." He promised, kissing him sweetly. "Enjoy the show."

"Break a leg." Kurt opened the door, letting Finn go out first before pausing to blow a final kiss to Blaine.

They began to walk out of the back stage area to find their seats. "That was kinda rude, don't you think?" Finn scolded.

"What?"

Why would his brother kiss somebody then turn around and tell them to break a leg? It didn't make sense to Finn. "Telling him to break a leg."

Kurt was almost laughing too hard to explain it to Finn. "That's what you say before somebody goes on stage in the theater. It's considered bad luck to just say _good luck_."

"Oh, yeah, I knew that." Finn chuckled, hoping his brother bought it as they entered the theater and found their seats. Before long, the lights flickered, signaling that the show was about to begin.

Finn watched with rapt attention as the play with in a play unfolded before him. For some reason, he found his attention to be on the woman playing Antonia. He could tell she was wearing lots of stage makeup and wearing a wig, but there was something about her stage presence that held his attention. It wasn't like her part was especially large; she only had one song.

One song that gave him goose bumps. Her voice was incredible.

As the play moved forward, Finn found that he didn't hate it. The story intrigued him and kept his attention, in part due to the young woman playing Antonia. The play ended and each cast member stepped forward to take their customary bow, allowing the audience to applaud them. Kurt, of course, applauded the loudest for Blaine, while Finn found himself praising the young woman.

The lights went up and Finn and Kurt exited the theater. "What did you think?" Kurt asked.

"I liked it. It was really good. I liked the niece. She was great."

"The niece? Antonia? She had a great voice, but she wasn't even a main character." Kurt looked at him, questioning his motives. "Wait. I know why you liked her. Honestly Finn. Try to control that raging libido for five minutes."

"Hey! It wasn't like that okay." Finn defended.

He shook his head as they made their way down the packed sidewalk. "Sure it wasn't. What did you think of Blaine's performance? Wasn't he wonderful?" Kurt gushed, clapping and hopping as they walked.

"Now who needs to control their libido?" He raised an eyebrow.

Kurt playfully swatted his shoulder. "We are dating. That's different." They stopped at the corner and waited for the walk signal and Kurt turned to Finn once again. "Really though… Wasn't he great?"

"Yeah man. He was good." Finn's lips quirked up into a half smile and he clapped his brother on the shoulder.

Finn was happy that Kurt had found somebody to share his life with. Growing up in western Ohio had not been easy for him and when they moved to New York, he had been so busy with school and work that he never had free time. In a way, he envied their new relationship. Kurt had just gone out, like he always did, and happened to meet Blaine on a crowded dance floor of all places. Kurt was allowing himself to live, he wasn't worrying about whom he would meet and when or what the end result would be, he just let it happen. There were no pretenses and no expectations when they began dating, but Kurt had told Finn how natural it had seemed.

The more Finn thought about it, the better he felt. He was living; life was happening around him and he was a part of it. It was only a matter of time for him.

* * *

**A/N- I want to let you know why we chose to tell this story in this way. They are purposefully two separate stories, told by two different people with two different writing styles. Each story stands on its own and you don't have to read both, but it's funner if you do. IMO. For those of you who are reading both stories, there is extra information; Easter eggs, if you will. Those Easter eggs are easier to find and flush out when they are posted like this, one chapter at a time. Because of the nature of the story, if we were to have 100% Finchel interaction in every chapter, both stories would be almost exactly the same. That's why this story is telling us how they came together; how they were able to find true love. As I'm sure you have noticed, they are in the same place often, that is deliberate and a part of the story. Much like in HIMYM, Finn (and Rachel) have to be ready, really ready. We have asked for your trust and your patience and we thank you for allowing us to tell you their individual stories. As our titles and summary suggest, we are telling the story of how they came to be together. Don't worry though, this story will go past their meeting.**

**As we have said before, this story (both POVs) was a blast to write. We put a lot of time and thought into both stories, and we are extremely proud of them. We are very close to a Finchel happily ever after, VERY CLOSE! It will happen this week. **

**Don't forget to read "Until I Found Him" by RedAmbition, there is a link in my bio. Reviews are always welcome, being mean is not. **


	9. He's Ready

**A/N- I'll start by apologizing for posting the wrong text for chapter 7. My bad. Thanks for those who alerted me. The good news is, if you haven't already read "Front Man" that was a free preview. :) It's all fixed now.**

**Thank you for all the feedback on this story, as you already know, your support is appreciated. Don't forget to check in with Rachel in "Until I Found Him" by RedAmbition.**

**I still don't own all of the things we have borrowed for the purose of this story. Glee, HIMYM, the characters, or the music included. We still DO own Tessa and Frank. **

* * *

"I got you the usual."

Finn placed the steaming cup on the table in front of his friend as he took his seat across from her. Quinn lifted the cup, bringing it close to her lips before she raised an eyebrow at Finn. "With nutmeg?" She asked.

"Duh. How long have we been friends?" Finn rolled his eyes. They attempted to meet for coffee at least once a week; usually in the morning after Finn got off shift and before she had to be to work. Finn could tell that Quinn knew he had a point. This was most definitely not the first time he had ordered her coffee.

"Okay." She sipped from the cup, satisfied that it was correct. She set the cup in front of her, ready to begin their usual chat session. "Tell me, how you have been."

"Okay. We got a new guy at the station. Mom and Burt are coming again in a couple weeks. They are probably going to stay with me again." He slurped from his cup, cautious not to burn himself. "How about you? Kurt said you guys are working on something big for the magazine."

She nodded. "We are. There is a national fashion show coming up. Kurt is in charge of the clothes and what's hot, while I'm supposed to follow around the designers and get their personal stories." She knew that Finn was less than interested in the specifics of the job and spared him the agonizing details. She knew that he wouldn't listen any way. Besides, Kurt would not spare him all the agonizing details when they spoke next. "I'm excited; it's a huge opportunity for both of us."

"That's cool." He scanned the room, drinking from his cup again. "How's Sam's job going?"

"It's great! He just got a promotion."

He lifted his hand up for her to high five and she eagerly slapped his palm. "That's awesome."

"So what are your parents coming in for?" She really appreciated how supportive Finn had been of her and her husband. She was lucky to have such a good friend in Finn.

Finn rolled his eyes. "They said that it had to do with Burt and Congress, but I think they just really want to meet Blaine." Kurt had been invited by his parents to bring Blaine for a visit, but he had refused, claiming he didn't want his dad to scare him away. They had only been dating about a month and he was trying to keep his parents and Blaine separated until he was sure that his parents would not scare him away.

"He's nice! He stops by the office to go to lunch with Kurt a couple times a week."

Finn smiled and sipped from his drink. "Yeah he is. He and Kurt seem to really like each other."

"They do. It's nice that he has somebody." She took the moment of silence as the perfect opportunity to ask him about his own love life. Ever since her wedding when Finn had mentioned possibly being ready for marriage, she had seen a difference in his behavior. He was going out more –not that he stayed in all the time, he just needed less persuasion- and being open to new experiences. He seemed more content. "What about your love quest? Are you seeing anybody?"

"No." He chuckled. "That's a good one though."

"What about Marley? She's nice."

She is nice, she's just not right for him. Once they figured that out, they had seen each other casually once or twice. Finn meant it when he told her that they could be friends he even introduced her to one of the guys on the department not too long ago. They seemed to be getting along nicely. "She's my friend. It would be like dating you, that's just weird. She actually is dating a guy from the station now. I'm happy for her."

"Don't give up."

Finn set his drink on the table and tilted his head in confusion. "Who said anything about giving up? It's not like I'm about to go adopt sixteen cats. You can't force these things to happen, they just do." He shrugged and picked up the cup once again. "I'm single, I'm happy." He nodded in determination.

"You sure?"

"Very." He meant it. Finn had made peace with being single. When it was his time to meet someone he would, there was no use freaking out about when that might be.

Quinn finished the sip of her coffee and stood, causing Finn to stand also. "Well, then. I have to get to work. Same time next week?"

"Actually, I promised Puck I would check out this new gym with him after our shift. Can we do it the next day?" Finn pulled the girl in for a hug and she slung her purse over her shoulder.

"Sure. Don't let Puckerman lure you into something illegal." She pushed in her chair and waited for Finn to do the same before they walked out of the coffee shop. "You know my rule about bailing you out of jail." She teased.

Finn scoffed. "Yeah, you won't." She had told him after the first time that she met Puck that when (not if) he got arrested, Finn had better not get locked up too, because there was no way she was going to bail him out. "Have a good day at work. I'll call you later."

"Bye Finn."

~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~

"What's the big deal with this gym? Why did you switch?" Finn adjusted the grip on his black duffle bag as they entered the large, upscale fitness center.

Puck stopped just inside the doors where there was a large window with a group of women doing yoga. The men couldn't hear what was happening but they could see. "Dude. Look around. There is grade A ass in this joint."

Finn saw where his friend had pointed, but his eyes were locked on the large window on the other side of the entrance. There was only one woman in there. Her back was too him and she was bent over at the waist touching her palms flat on the floor. Finn was fixated on the way that the tight black pants she was wearing stretched over her backside perfectly, highlighting the perfect curvature of her butt. She straightened out slowly, allowing Finn to see the bright pink tank top she was wearing; her hair in a messy bun and even from the back, Finn could tell that the girl was gorgeous. "Yeah. I see your point." She moved just enough to startle Finn, causing him to look away before he was caught staring.

"Told you. Locker room is this way." Puck had spent that time watching the yoga class, assuming Finn was doing the same.

Finn shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind of the petite brunette in preparation for the work out ahead. "Yeah man." Finn secured his duffle bag in the lockers and they set out to complete their workout. "Cardio first?"

"Is there any other way?"

They each claimed an empty treadmill, running while they watched the movie playing on the large TV overhead. After several minutes Finn's eyes wandered, once again spotting the woman he had seen stretching when they arrived. This time, she was on the other side of the gym lifting some small hand weights out to her sides. She was facing him but she was too far away from Finn to make out any of her features. Finn was inwardly cursing the gym for having the cardio and the weight areas separated by just enough floor space that two would not interfere with each other. Maybe he wanted them to interfere.

"This movie is bad ass." Puck panted between strides, bringing Finn's attention back on his own work out. "This is the best part."

They finished their runs, and the movie that was playing, then moved their training over to the weight area. They made their way through the different weights before finally meeting back up at the bench press. Finn took his place on the bench and Puck stood over him, spotting him while he lifted the heavy bar over his head several times. After a couple reps, the men switched places and Puck lay on the bench. Finn stood over him while he pushed through his last set. Had he not been watching the woman in the pink tank top running on the same treadmill he had been on, he might have noticed his friend having trouble lifting the bar for the final time.

"Dude. A little help." Puck breathed, pushing the bar with all his strength.

Finn's attention snapped back to his friend and he grabbed the bar, assisting him to place it back in the rack. "Oh, yeah, sorry."

"Maybe this gym is a bad idea for you. I forgot that you can't function when there are hot girls around." Puck was still resting on the bench in an attempt to catch his breath, scolding Finn from his position below him.

"Hey! You're the one who insisted you add another plate." Finn was deflecting, he knew he was.

Puck sat up, looking over to see several women running on the treadmills in the cardio area. "What? Did you or did you not just fail to spot me because you were eyeing a hottie over on the treadmill?"

"I was not eying anything. Something on that TV just caught my attention." He lied, glancing in the direction of the treadmills again, noticing the woman gathering her things.

"Like I believe that. Come on. I'm done."

Finn looked one last time to see that the woman was now gone. Disappointed, he agreed that it was time to go. "Yeah. Me too." They cleaned off their equipment and collected the few personal items they didn't lock up in the lockers (Finn refused to part with his phone or wallet in a strange gym, he had head too many stories) and headed for the main exit. "I think I'm just going to shower at home. Gym showers gross me out and I'm just walking straight home anyway."

The grey shirt Finn had worn was still damp from the work out as they exited the building. They only made it a few feet from the entrance before Puck turned to Finn. "Didn't you bring your bag with you?"

"Shit." Finn stopped and turned to go back for the bag he had locked into the locker before his workout. "I'll go get it. You go ahead. I'll see you on shift."

"See ya man."

He wasn't paying attention as he entered the gym again, taking long deliberate strides as he set on the path to the locker rooms. Before he could get too far into the main area of the gym, however, he ran into a woman, knocking her to the floor. Finn immediately felt horrible and wished he had been paying more attention. He could be so clumsy sometimes. He knelt in front of the woman, muttering an apology.

"I'm so sor-" The words died in his throat when his eyes locked with the woman's. It was the same woman he had noticed when he first arrived and again throughout his workout. As he suspected, she was even more gorgeous up close. Her olive skin had a slight sheen to it and her cheeks were tinted with a slight blush, both likely from her workout. Her large brown eyes had a slight gold fleck to them and he was feeling like he could get lost in them forever.

But, right now, he had to pick her up off the floor.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention." Finn finally said. He noticed she had dropped something and reached one hand to her elbow while the other reached for the green metallic object lying on the floor next to her.

"No I'm sorry. I ran into you." Even her voice was causing Finn to lose any coherence he had left.

Finn tried to calm the wild beating of his heart when their hands met around the small object. When they stood, he noticed that the woman was at least a foot shorter than him. Their hands were still clamped around the object and he once again found himself lost in her eyes. He absentmindedly began to rub his thumb over the object while they stood there in the entryway.

His thumb rubbed over a rough spot, causing him to take their hands and turn them over to reveal a green iPod nano. There was a small scratch, presumably the rough spot the he could feel, and Finn immediately recognized the device as the same one he had lost a while back. Still holding both her hand and the iPod, he looked up at her and spoke softly.

"You have my iPod."

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**A/N- I wonder who Finn knocked over, he can be so clumsy. Don't forget to see what Rachel was doing. The link to "Until I Found Him" by RedAmbition is in my bio. Reviews are always welcome, being mean probably never will be. **


	10. Getting to Know Her

**A/N- Here is what you have all been waiting for! Enjoy! Don't forget to get Rachel's side of the story in "Until I Found Him" by RedAmbition. The link is in my bio.**

**We still don't own anything except Frank and Tessa. **

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"You have my iPod." Finn's hand was still holding hers as he wondered how she had ended up with his lucky iPod. His first thought was that maybe Santana had sold it or something out of spite. Maybe this girl bought it from her. It didn't really matter now. What did matter was that the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen was now in possession of it.

"Excuse me? I'm sorry no, you must be mistaken."

He looked at their hands and gently removed his hand from hers, immediately missing the warmth he felt. He was able to look at it once more before she clutched it tightly in her fist. "I'm sure of it. That scratch," he pointed at the familiar scratch marring the face of the green iPod. "I know how it got there."

Finn watched as the small, gorgeous woman raised her eyebrows in question. "Please, enlighten me."

"I was getting this," he lifted the sleeve of his grey t-shirt showing her the tribal arm band encircling his bicep, "and I dropped it on the floor." Finn chose not to elaborate on the exact reason that he dropped it as the woman's cheeks flushed red. He lowered his sleeve, internally marveling at the woman's reaction to him.

"That's very umm, I-" She seemed to think for a minute before asking another question. "Ok, name three of the songs on the _My Favorites_ playlist."

Finn racked his brain for three songs on the list. It's not like he had changed it when he got his new iPod, why was it so hard to remember these thing when you were put on the spot? Suddenly remembering, he lifted his hand ticking his fingers up as he listed the songs. "Okay, um, _Jessie's Girl_, _More Than a Feeling_, and _Don't Stop Believing_."

"Darn it…" She tilted her head, seeming thinking of another way to verify that this was his iPod. "Alright, if this is really your iPod, what is engraved on the back?"

He had to hand it to the girl; she was asking all the right questions. If it wasn't his iPod he would never be able to answer these. But, it was his iPod so he _did_ know the answers. "_To follow that star_." He answered easily and with a fair bit of pride. Those were the lyrics from one of his favorite songs, engraved there as a gift from Kurt.

The woman's mouth dropped open, indicating that Finn was correct even before her words could. "That's right. Huh, what are the odds of that?"

"I'm right huh?" He triumphed. "That is my iPod. Where did you find it?" Finn watched as she placed her hands on her hips, the iPod still in her fist. Despite the revelation that she was currently in possession of someone else's iPod, the gorgeous stranger seemed to be taking it in stride.

"I found it in my apartment one night, though I'm fairly certain I've never seen you before to have invited you over. Of course, do you happen to know a Santana Lopez."

Finn groaned at the smirk that she was wearing. "Yeah…" Where was she going with this? The girl giggled slightly and Finn was slightly scared at what she might know.

"Ah, I see. I take it you lost this with the rest of your clothes?"

Crap. How do people keep finding out about that? Unable to help himself, he groaned again, certain his cheeks were now red. "Apparently. I'm never going to live that down. How do you know Santana?" He hoped a subject change would steer the conversation away from that night.

"Probably not," She shrugged. "She is my best friend and roommate for far too many years."

Even though he had stripped naked in front of the girl's roommate, she didn't seem to be judging him for it. He appreciated that and took it as a good sign that she didn't run from him immediately. "That was not my finest moment. I hope you don't hold it against me."

"I'm sure you had your reasons. If it makes you feel any better, you aren't the only man in New York City who has tried that technique. I had my own unfortunate experience a few months ago."

Finn shook his head. At least Puck wasn't just setting him up for embarrassment, apparently this was a thing. A thing he would like to stop haunting him. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who has tried it, though I wish I hadn't. It was embarrassing and everybody seems to have heard the story. Even gorgeous women I accidently knock down at the gym." She blushed and Finn couldn't help but think that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

"You think I'm gorgeous?"

"Of course I do. Doesn't your boyfriend?" Finn was clearing fishing for information and hoping she didn't have one. Even thought they had only met, he felt drawn to this woman. Like they had known each other for years instead of minutes.

"I actually don't have one at the moment."

It was taking every ounce of self-control Finn had not to literally jump up in excitement, although on the inside he was doing just that. "Oh, uh, that's cool. No!" Oops. He hadn't meant to sound that excited. So much for playing it cool. He rubbed his neck hoping to ease his own awkwardness. "I'm just going to shut up now."

"No, its fine. How about you? Your girlfriend won't be angry with you for giving out such kind, ill-deserved compliments, will she?"

Was she using his own tactic against him? Finn couldn't help the excitement that coursed through him at the thought that she may be interested in him too. "I don't have one so I'm free to compliment whoever I want. And you are… gorgeous, I mean."

"That's very sweet of you, but I can only imagine what a mess I look having just finished my work out."

Finn looked at her feet and pulled his focus up her body, stopping only after he noticed the way her hair was pulled into a bun. If this is what she looks like when she is a 'mess,' he definitely wanted to see what she looked like put together. "Trust me, you look great. Did you have somewhere to be right now?"

"I have voice lessons in an hour and a half. Why do you ask?"

"There is a great smoothie place around the corner, I was wondering if you might, uh, want to grab one with me." A slow smile spread across her face and he was optimistic about her answer.

"Smoothies with a stranger? I don't even know your name."

Finn mentally kicked himself, how did he not already know the name of the woman he was already captivated with? "Oh! It's Finn. Finn Hudson. And yours?"

"Rachel Berry."

Even her name sounded angelic. Finn couldn't help repeating it. "Rachel," he spoke her name softly and almost with reverence; he liked the way it felt rolling off his tongue and he longed for the chance to say it again. He shook his head, trying to regain his composure. "Now that we aren't strangers anymore, do you have time for that smoothie? I don't want to make you late."

"I think I do, actually. But I won't have much time."

"Okay. Let help you with that." Finn bent down to retrieve her bright pink yoga mat off the ground where it had fallen when he collided with her. She handed him her bag and they left the gym. Finn wondered if he should go back for his own bag, but decided that this was more important.

He had time. He could come back for it later.

"Oh! I should probably give this back now, huh." She held her small hand out, palm up, showing him the green iPod resting in her palm

Finn smiled and reached for her hand only to clasp her fingers back around the device. "No. You keep it. I've already replaced it and it seems to like you."

She brought her clasped hand to her chest, holding it over her heart as she spoke once again. "I was really hoping you would say that. Elphaba has become sort of my good luck charm."

"It was always mine too." _It still is _he thought. He marveled at how the loss of his iPod, and supposed good luck charm, was thought to be the end of the world, when instead, it seemed to be the exact opposite. Perhaps his lucky charm was still acting as such, even in someone else's possession. "Uh, so Elphaba huh? Where did you come up with that?"

"You don't recognize it? The famous musical_ Wicked_?" Finn watched as she looked at him expectantly. He only shook his head indicating he didn't know it. "This is a terrible problem, Finn how can you not know _Wicked_? Have you been living under a rock?"

He chuckled. "In a fire house actually." Once again, her face tinted a cherry red color. Finn wondered why she was kept doing that.

And how he could get her to do it again. He loved the way the red in her cheeks lit up her brown eyes even more.

"Well either way, this is a wrong that must be righted. Wicked is still showing on Broadway now, I insist that you find time outside of work to go and see it. You won't regret it, it's an incredible show"

This was his opening. He steadied his breathing and attempted to sound casual while he gathered the information that could possibly lead to a date –a real date- with Rachel. "When was the last time you saw it?"

"It's been a while actually, not since they swapped the lead actress. But it's a wonderful show; I'll probably go see it again soon"

Finn kept his focus forward as they took their place in the short line in front of The Groovy Smoothie. He hoped that would help him to keep his cool while asking the next question. "Maybe we could see it sometime… together. We could grab dinner before, if you want to?"

"That sounds like a lovely evening to me."

As soon as her answer was given, it was their turn to order. The talk lanky kid behind the counter took their order, making the two smoothies while Finn paid. He handed them the refreshing drinks and Finn led them to a small table set up on the sidewalk. Finn carefully set down her belongings and took his seat.

"It was clear that I meant dinner and the show with me, right? Like a date?" He asked, hopeful.

She giggled slightly and Finn found that that may be his new favorite sound ever. "Crystal. I'm actually glad you care enough to clarify. The last 'date' I went on actually turned out to not be a real date at all. I wish I had taken the time to clarify beforehand, I sat through _I Don't Wanna Know_ for nothing."

"That move was terrible. I saw most of it, but thankfully I got kicked out by security." Finn rolled his eyes exaggeratedly and took a sip from his smoothie, remembering just how awful that movie was.

"That's funny, when I saw it there was a man who got kicked out for tossing popcorn." Busted. Finn looked out to the street and then to his smoothie, basically just avoiding looking at her as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Oh my God, that was you, wasn't it."

She already knew about the naked man and she didn't run; may as well just own up to it. "Uh, well, sounds like me. Frank was cool about it though." He noticed that she was looking at him strangely and it took an extra second for him to realize that she didn't know who Frank was. "The security guard," he clarified. When he spoke about him though, the conversation they had in the lobby of the movie theater came flooding back. "You _were_ there?" He remembered how the older man told him not to give up because even though the woman for him wasn't in the theater, didn't mean that she wasn't out there. It turns out though, that she was there.

And now, she was here with him.

"I was. I was a few rows behind you. I should thank you for that, I had more fun observing your shenanigans than watching the screen" Finn blushed as she giggled again. "The movie was a great deal more boring when you were escorted out."

"My friend was not happy that I got kicked out." He remembered how Quinn yelled at him for acting so childish and for not trying harder to like that movie. He had nightmares for a week because of it, he could only imagine how much worse they could have been if he had seen the whole thing. He suffered plenty; she didn't have to yell at him.

"Well I found it entertaining; as long as you don't get kicked out during Wicked we are going to get along just fine."

She was watching him with mock seriousness and Finn couldn't help but chuckle. "I'll behave, I promise."

"Good, then I guess I can trust you with phone number." He removed the phone from his pocket and handed it to her. He watched as she typed in her number and handed back his phone. When he reached out to take it back, their hands brushed and Finn felt it in his toes. It was the same feeling he had when he looked in her eyes the first time. It was the same feeling he had when their hands touched for the first time. This is the feeling he had been waiting for. The one that would let him know that his forever was right in front of him. He snapped himself from his personal revelation to look at the screen of the phone. She had used the icons to add a star after her name and Finn couldn't help the smile that formed. "Awesome. It was great meeting you Rachel. I'm sorry again for knocking you down." He stood, taking her empty cup and tossing it in the trash with his own.

"Don't worry about it. It all worked out and it was lovely meeting you too. I look forward to hearing from you." He handed back the yoga mat and bag he had carried for her and she smiled at him before turning to leave.

Finn placed his hands in his pockets as he made his way back to the gym to get his bag. Once he retrieved it, he used the walk home to think about the events of the day. It started out like any other. He left work early in the morning like he often did and somehow ended up meeting the most beautiful woman.

He couldn't help but think that she was it for him.

While they were talking and enjoying their smoothies, Finn had studied her intently; her lips, her eyes, her voice, and her laugh. Now that he was at home, he pulled his new blue iPod out of his pocket and rubbed it nervously as he wondered what it would be like to share a life with her. After only spending a short time with her, he couldn't be sure if things would work out for them in that way, but he couldn't wait to find out.

Finn pulled the phone from his pocket and began scrolling through his contacts to find her newly added name. They hadn't parted that long ago, but he was already feeling like maybe it was too long. His thumb hovered over the call button for only a moment before he tapped it lightly. He brought the phone to his ear, listening as it rang only three times.

_"__Hello?"_

"Rachel, this is Finn. Finn Hudson. I know I'm supposed to wait three days or something, but I couldn't."

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**A/N- This chapter had some unique challenges in writing it. Even so, it was a lot of fun working so closely with Red to work it out. I now have a new respect for guys who are brave enough to ask out girls. It's nerve-racking. Reviews are always welcome!**


	11. His Forever

**A/N- Hi there! Thank you for all the reviews, alerts, favorites, and twitter love, it truly means the world to us that you are letting us take you on this fun journey. We want you to know that we tried to write their first date; it just didn't work out as we hoped it would. We chose to skip ahead a bit instead. This is the second to last chapter of this unique story (and its twin)! Just a warning that there is some wankiness ahead this chapter, something I have never written before, We upped the rating to M just to be safe. RedAmibition has assured me that Rachel wanted it, so I (Finn) gave it to her. **

**We still do no own Glee, HIMYM, Man of La Mancha, the characters, or the music used. We do own Tessa and Frank, though. They are with us till the end.**

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_"__Oh crap! I gotta go." Finn untangled Rachel from where she was snuggled into his side and stood from the couch. They had been living together for a while now and it was common for them to cuddle into each other while they watched their favorite show. Finn loved when they had these moments and he felt bad for cutting this one short, especially when his abrupt departure was veiled in such secrecy. _

_He could dwell on how bad he felt later; right now he had somewhere else that he needed to be. He glanced at his watch and looked down at the old high school t-shirt and basketball shorts he had been wearing while he and Rachel had been watching 'My Strange Obsession' together. He knew he couldn't be wearing this where he was going. He lumbered into the bedroom they shared so he could change into something more appropriate, knowing that Rachel was following behind him. She probably had a look of confusion written all over her beautiful face and he couldn't bear to look back at her. He hadn't told her of his plans for today, he couldn't._

_Not yet._

_"__Where are you going?" She asked._

_Finn flicked through the hangers in his closet, finally deciding on a maroon button up and a pair of black slacks. "I, uh, I have a meeting." He pulled the old t-shirt over his head and tossed it aside so he could wrap the dress shirt over his shoulders._

_"__A meeting?" He glanced up at her while he was fastening the buttons on the shirt and took note of her raised eyebrow. He knew that she knew him too well not to be suspicious; they were as close as two people could be. He also knew that she trusted him just as he trusted her. He felt bad not telling her the entire truth but it was for her own good and he technically wasn't lying; he really did have a meeting. "I didn't know you had a meeting?" She questioned._

_Finn shrugged and dropped the loose fitting shorts, kicking them out of the way. "I just found out yesterday. It's not a big deal. Boring work stuff." He pulled the slacks on and then sat on the bed to pull a pair of socks onto his feet._

_"__Oh, um, okay. How long do you think you be out?" He could hear how scared and timid she sounded and his heart ached to tell her the truth and ease her fears. Instead, he slid on his shoes and made his way to the front door of their apartment._

_"__I should only be a couple hours." He tucked the shirt into his pants and leaned over to kiss her lovingly, hoping that it told her that she had no reason to worry. In truth though, he had no way to know if she really understood the underlying reassurance in his lips. "I'll see you after. Love you. Bye." He placed another quick kiss to her lips, noticing the way they turned to a pout when he turned to leave the apartment. He closed the door behind him, wanting nothing more than to go back inside and tell her exactly what he was up to, he hated when she was sad._

_He couldn't though; this was the best thing for them, she would know that soon. He hailed a cab, climbing in before checking his watch. He was going to make it to the Manhattan condo on time. Once in front of the building, he paid the driver and stepped onto the sidewalk. As he stood there, looking up at the high rise building, it suddenly occurred to him what he was there to do and he became nervous. He took a deep breath and made his way to the door, ignoring the deafening sound of his beating heart as he rang the buzzer._

_"__Yes?"_

_"__Uh. Hi. It's Finn. Finn Hudson."_

_"__We know your last name, Finn. Come on up."_

_The door buzzed and Finn made his way through the nice lobby and onto the elevator. He tried to calm himself by doing the breathing exercises Rachel taught him as the elevator steadily rose. It stopped, releasing a dainty 'ding' as the doors opened and he stepped into the sleek hallway. He wiped his sweaty palms on the front of his pants and took another calming breath before reaching his fist up to knock on the door._

_When it swung open, there stood Hyrum and Leroy Berry, Rachel's father's, grinning madly. "Finn," they said, almost in unison as they gestured for him to enter._

_"__Sirs. Thank you for allowing me to come over." Finn stepped inside the swanky apartment and tried to take control of his shaking limbs. _

_Leroy must have noticed how nervous Finn was. "Are you okay?"_

_"__I'm Finn, I mean, fine. I'm fine. Just a little nervous." He wiped his hands on the front of his pants once again, sitting in the lounge area where the older men had led him._

_"__What do you have to be nervous about? You have been to our house many times." Leroy and Hyrum both had a feeling about why Finn called last week to set up this meeting._

_"__I think I know." Hyrum was almost too excited to contain himself as he watched Finn sit across from him and his husband._

_"__Ahem." Finn cleared his throat, hoping to buy a little time as he attempted to get comfortable on the usually plush sofa. "Well… sirs. As you know, I have been dating your daughter for a little over a year now." They both nodded at him, silently urging him to continue. "Anyway. I love her. I love her more than anything and she loves me too. I-I wanted to ask for your permission to marry her." The two men shared a look and then turned back to Finn expectantly. "I love her." He said. He smiled just slightly thinking about what would happen after this meeting. He loved her and he was going to ask her to be his wife. They were going to be married, possibly have children, and grow old together. He couldn't wait to start their forever._

_"__No." Leroy said evenly; sternly._

_Uh… No? Is that what he just said? Finn was positive his eyes were bulging from his head as he attempted to control his rapidly increasing heartbeat. "No?" He didn't have a contingency plan for this; Finn assumed they would say yes. They always made him feel welcome, and he was under the impression that they liked him. Rachel and her fathers were very close, without their blessing Finn's not sure Rachel would accept his proposal. _

_"__Leroy. Don't do that to him." Hyrum lightly tapped the shoulder of his husband. "Of course you have our permission to marry Rachel. She loves you Finn, and we know that you will take care of her." Finn released a breath that he didn't even know he had been holding in relief. Thank goodness one father took pity on Finn. Don't they know how hard this it with only one father, let alone two._

_They probably do. They have probably been planning this since Rachel was an infant. It doesn't help Finn at all, though. Not right now._

_Leroy looked seriously at Finn, "Or else."_

_"__Stop it." Hyrum said quickly and both he and Leroy chuckled lightly, easing Finn's apprehensiveness only by a hair._

_"__Fine," Leroy relented, "You ruin all my fun, Hyrum. You have my permission. Make sure you take good care of our little girl."_

_Finn had every intention of taking care of Rachel. It didn't matter what she needed, he would be there for her. He could promise her fathers that much._

Finn snapped out of his reverie just in time to see Puck tucking yet another dollar bill in the G-string of the very busty brunette currently grinding on his lap.

Puck secured the money and peered around her so he could properly scold Finn. "I saw that. Can't you stop thinking about Berry for one night?"

"I can't and I don't have to. We are getting married in a week, remember?" Finn cracked a half smile as he sipped from his beer and scanned the room, hoping to keep inventory of his nearby friends.

"Duh Numb-nuts, why do you think we are here?" Puck looked up at the woman in his lap and tossed back a shot that had been resting on the table in front of him. "We are at The Pole Vault so you can forget that you are getting married in a week. That's why all your friends are here, that's why we are surrounded by half-naked chicks, and that's why we all have hotel rooms next door; so you can get sloppy drunk with us forget that you are going to strap on the 'ol ball-n-chain permanently. You and Berry need to spend at least one night apart before you get hitched, you two are always together."

Finn had played along with Pucks idea of a bachelor party from the moment he told him that he was getting married. He knew that Puck was not going to let him get by without an evening of strippers and booze so he let him plan all of it. Right down to the night apart.

At first, he and Rachel were in agreement that it would be a good idea to spend a night apart before the wedding. They even planned their bachelor and bachelorette parties for the same time so they would be distracted. Even as the glitter clad stripped walked around the pole on the stage, Rachel was back at her and Finn's apartment spending time with her friends.

As the night got closer and the reality of being apart became more real, neither of them could control their need to be close to one another. So they made a plan. Originally, Puck secured enough rooms at the hotel so that there were two men in each room. He and Finn were supposed to be sharing and everybody else was paired off. Knowing from experience that Puck was going to be too drunk to remember anything by the end of the night, Finn secretly booked another room for him and Rachel. Finn just had to keep Puck supplied in alcohol.

"How about you pay less attention to me and focus on Candy. Remember, the louder we holler, the more clothes they will take off. Here have another shot." Finn handed over the shot he had in front of him, Puck downed it quickly.

"We need more shots." Puck said, slurring slightly.

Finn stood immediately. "I'll go." Puck began hollering, hoping to get the women to remove more clothing as Finn made his way to the bar. "Excuse me; can I get another round for my friends?"

"Anything for you?"

"Just another beer for me please." The young barkeep set about making a tray of Finn's drinks and he took the opportunity to look back at Puck. He shook his head at the way Puck was now motor-boating the woman in his lap. The sound of the bartender returning caused Finn to turn his attention back to him just as he set the tray in front of him. "Thank you Linus." He said cheerfully, picking up the tray and going back to where his friends were all watching the stage. They all stopped and took a shot as he passed, silently questioning where his own drink was. "What? I just had another; you guys need to keep up." He was pleased that they all lifted their glasses in a toast.

"To Finn!" They all said in unison.

He had been doing this to them most of the evening. He sipped on his beer and carefully passed his friends all the shots that were placed in front of him. He toasted with them the first time, happy to share the moment with them, but after that he was careful not to get too drunk. It was getting easier with every shot they took in.

Several shots and even more dollar bills into the evening, Finn and his groomsmen (minus Kurt, he insisted that he should party with the girls), were stumbling the half a block to their hotel. Well, the groomsmen were stumbling; Finn was making sure they didn't do so into traffic. They paired off and made their way to their assigned rooms. Finn helped Puck to what was supposed to be their room and made sure he was resting safely in his bed before retrieving his phone from his pocket and texting his bride to be.

_Puck's out. Meet you at our room. ;)_

He tucked the phone back in his pocket and left the decoy room so that he could meet Rachel in the room they had paid for in secret. Finn looked up just in time to see Blaine leaving his room with an ice bucket and he smiled at the curly haired man.

"Say hello to Rachel for me." Blaine said, causing Finn to sputter in disbelief. How did he know? "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

Finn shook his head and reached his fist to Blaine's for a fist bump. "Have a good night man."

He pulled the key card from his pocket and swung open the heavy door. Finn was not prepared for what he saw.

Rachel was sitting on the bed wearing nothing but a pair of black strappy high heels and a smile. Her long legs were stretched out in front of her and she had her palms on the bed behind her, helping to accentuate her chest. Finn could only stare as the blood pumping throughout his body rerouted itself to his groin and made his pants uncomfortably tight.

She looked hot. And he was about to marry this woman. God, he was a lucky man.

"Hello Finn."

He watched in awe as she smirked at him and shifted to her knees at the edge of the bed, beckoning him closer with her finger. Finn immediately unbuckled his pants and dropped them where he stood, crossing the small hotel room in determination and discarding all of his clothing as he made his way to waiting Rachel. He growled as he wrapped an arm around her and captured her lips in a deep and passionate kiss.

Never breaking the kiss, she reached for her foot and took hold of the heel resting there. Finn released her lips and covered her hand with his free one, stopping her. "No way," He growled. "They stay on." She didn't get a chance to respond or protest before his mouth was back on hers. In one quick motion, he grabbed the back of her legs and lifted her to where she was straddling him where he stood at the end of the bed. He turned his lips to her neck as he crossed the room and pressed her against the wall. Rachel moaned as he nipped and sucked at her neck, knowing exactly what he was doing to her. He could feel her pressing her core to him in anticipation and he drew back slightly before pressing into her swiftly. Their cries of pleasure, along with the sounds of them banging into the wall were likely to be heard in the nearby room, but neither cared as they reached their climaxes. Finn stood on shaking legs, supporting his bride as they came down from their respective highs.

Finn peered into Rachel's eyes and kissed her deeply and pulled them away from the wall. He laid her on the bed gently and traced her face with his hand before rolling to where they were lying next to each other on the bed.

"Looks like the naked man, or well, naked woman in this case, is indeed effective."

Finn laughed and turned to look at Rachel. "Three out of five times, babe. You should try your luck again sometime."

"I just might do that. For science."

Finn laughed out loud and leaned over her once again. "Can't wait."

~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~

Carol Hummel was certain she had never seen her son so happy. She had seen him achieve so much and he was happy at every turn; but today, he was getting married to the love of his life and somehow, he was even happier. Carol watched from the doorway as he adjusted the bow tie around his neck, trying to get it perfect. "Honey, are you okay?"

Finn turned away from the full length mirror where he was making the final adjustments on his tuxedo to greet his mother with a wide smile. "I'm great mom. Have you seen Rachel? Is she okay?"

"She's fine." Carol stood in front of him, reaching out to pin the simple pink boutonniere to the lapel of his jacket. "She wanted me to tell you that she can't wait to see you at the end of the isle."

"I can't wait to see her either." Finn breathed. He was simply in awe that this day had finally arrived. He wasn't nervous, he was excited to make Rachel his wife.

She pressed the palm of her hand to his cheek and gave him a watery smile before speaking. "I'm so proud of you. Rachel is a great girl, we are lucky to have her join our family."

"I'm the lucky one." Finn said sincerely.

Carol looked at her watch then up at him. "Are you ready? It's time about time to go out there."

"I've been ready." Finn pulled his mother in for a tight hug and they went to find their places at the altar.

Finn stood anxiously as he watched the members of he and Rachel's wedding party begin to walk towards him. He watched as Santana and Kurt walked with linked elbows to where he was and took their places, then Puck and Quinn, and finally Sam and Britney. He drew in a deep breath as music changed and the double doors opened to reveal Rachel, flanked by both of her fathers, standing there looking radiant. Her white floor length gown had a lace overlay giving it an extra touch of elegance.

Rachel was gorgeous and Finn was never more happy.

A single tear rolled down Finn's cheek as his bride marched towards him. They were surrounded by their friends and family, but right now it was only he and Rachel. They were about to be joined together legally as man and wife, but Finn knew that this woman held his heart from the moment they met.

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**A/N- Let me tell you how awkward it is to write smut as a team from two different points of view. RedAmbition and I basically got busy via text to make this work. We now share an extra special bond in the name of fanfiction, and you; we hope you all liked this chapter. There is only the epilogue left and it should be posted soon. Don't forget to see what Rachel was up to in "Until I Found Him" by RedAmbition, the link is in my bio. Reviews are always welcome. **


	12. Faithfully Hers

**A/N-I can't even begin to thank you guys enough for all the support with this. Working so closely with RedAmbition has been such a great experience and I'm so happy she let me collaborate with her. She's an amazing person and I'm lucky to call her my friend (and sometimes: Mistress). She has many other stories, so if you haven't yet, go check them out. For now though, here is the final chapter of this story (and its twin). Head over to "Until I Found Him" and see what Rachel was up to in this chapter. The link is in my bio.**

**Even after 12 chapters, we still do not own Glee, HIMYM, Man of La Mancha, the characters, or the music. Tessa and Frank are ours and have been locked up securely for when they might be needed again. **

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"Hey, buddy." Finn ruffled the hair of the two year old blonde boy sitting on his best friends lap as he leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Hi Quinn." He sat in the chair across the table from them and sipped from his fresh cup of coffee. He was barely able to set the cup down before the little boy was wiggling out of his mother's grasp so that he could sit with Finn.

"I'm the boy's mother and it never fails that whenever you are near, he would rather be on your lap." Quinn said.

Finn chuckled and stuck his tongue out at Quinn. "It's not my fault Ethan loves his uncle Finn." He turned his attention to the boy, "Isn't that right buddy?" Finn handed the boy a small piece of cookie he had picked up with his coffee and he took it eagerly. It was a cookie after all.

"Finn! It's eight o'clock in the morning; don't feed my son a cookie. He'll be wound up all day." Finn shrugged and handed the boy another small bite, ignoring Quinn's wishes and her subsequent dirty looks. "You just wait until you and Rachel have kids. People will spoil them and send them home with you and you both will become invisible, unless the kid needs a diaper change."

They each sipped from their cups again and Finn continued to feed him small portions of the cookie. The two were meeting for coffee after Finn's shift as they often did. Even after Finn and Rachel's wedding and Quinn and Sam had had Ethan, they still made time to catch up on the important things happening in their lives. Of course, they often got together with their respective spouses, sometimes adding other couples, but they wanted to continue the tradition of meeting for coffee whenever they could. It was only happening a couple times a month, but it was important to the two of them not to lose the close friendship they had held onto for so many years.

"We are working on it." Finn said, continuing to play with Ethan.

"Oh, believe me. I know. You two are going at it like you're still on your honeymoon."

Finn shrugged. "No complaints here." Rachel had gone of birth control several months ago and the two had been taking full advantage of that fact since. Every chance they were alone (and one time when they weren't), became a chance to make a baby.

Even arguments turned into an opportunity for baby making. Just two days ago, he made a comment about her bra being too small and Rachel placed her hands on her hips like she was angry. Before Finn knew it, she had launched herself into his arms and began kissing him furiously. After they finished, he lay on the floor next to her trying to figure out what had just happened. He had no clue and, to be honest, he didn't mind.

"I'm sure." She sipped from her cup and watched Finn play with her son. She knew that Finn was going to be an amazing father some day and she couldn't wait for pay back. "Isn't her birthday this week?"

He was excited about Rachel's birthday this year. Usually he agonized about the perfect gift to get for her, but this year he had thought of the perfect gift. "Tomorrow." He smiled widely.

"Do you need help picking out a gift for her?" Quinn offered helpfully.

"Nope." Despite holding an adult conversation with Quinn, Finn was making faces at Ethan. Sticking out his tongue and crossing his eyes while the boy giggled loudly. "I've already got something great picked out. I'm picking it up after we finish here."

"Really? What is it?"

Finn shook his head. "Sorry Q, I don't want to ruin the surprise." He turned his attention back to Ethan and began talking to him. "Everybody knows your mom can't keep a secret."

"Hey!"

"What? You know I'm right. How long did you know what Rachel was getting me for my birthday last year before you told me?"

Quinn knew he was right. She's told Finn less than a week after she found out was Rachel was getting him. "Fine. I'll find out at her birthday party this weekend."

"You will." Finn promised, handing Ethan another piece of cookie.

"How's Puckerman doing these days? Is he still seeing that woman?"

He took another pull from his cup, setting it down on the table just out of Ethan's reach. "Sugar? Yeah, they are still dating. This is a new record for him."

"I'm sure it doesn't hurt that her family is loaded."

Everybody who had ever met Puck was surprised that he was starting a legitimate relationship with someone. The surprise dulled slightly when they found out that her dad was loaded and, by extension, she was too. They were surprised again, however, when he took on the traditional male responsibilities in the relationship. If he was after her for her money, he was going about it all wrong.

"He claims that he's still with her because she will let him do things to her that every other woman says no to." He and Quinn both shuttered involuntarily. "Yeah, I didn't ask and we got a call right then. I just don't want to know."

"It's a wonder he hasn't been imprisoned yet." Quinn marveled, shaking her head in disbelief.

Finn chuckled, remembering the time he had come really close to being hauled in for being drunk in public. Puck was wandering around the side streets in his boxer shorts with two large bottles of alcohol duct taped to his hands. He was lucky that he knew the officer, or he may well have been arrested that night. "He is really gross, but he and this Sugar girl seem to be perfect for each other. It's weird to see him so… monogamous."

"I might have to put up with him long enough for all of us to go out. It sounds interesting. I need to see it for myself."

"I think he is planning on bringing her to Rachel's party this weekend, you can see it for yourself." Ethan tensed up on Finn's lap and Finn wrinkled his nose, looking down on the boy. "Eww." Finn lifted the boy, bringing his diaper cover butt closer to Finn's nose. He turned him so that he could address him properly. "Eth, buddy, I thought we decided that you wouldn't do that when you're sitting with Uncle Finn. Time to go back to your mom, little dude." He passed him across the table to Quinn and breathed a sigh of relieve that his nostrils were no longer under the direct assault of the boys diaper. He loved the kid, but that's just nasty.

"I see how it is." Quinn was used to this, and like she said earlier, nobody seems to remember that you're around until the kid needs a diaper change. At least she got to catch up with Finn and finish her coffee before motherhood called out to her. "Come on sweetie, let's go get you changed." She stood holding Ethan with one arm while the other slung her diaper bag over her shoulder.

"I'm gonna head, Rachel is probably up by now. I'll see you at the party." Finn stood too, collecting his and Quinn's empty cups and the remaining cookie pieces left behind by Ethan. "Bye buddy." He ruffled his hair and held out his closed fist. "Knuckles?" Ethan eagerly bumped fists with his Uncle Finn. Finn just loved the kid. "Awesome. Be good for your mom and dad." He leaned over and kissed Quinn's cheek. "See you later."

~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~

Finn opened the glass door and paused, allowing an elderly gentleman to enter ahead of him. He followed the man in and looked for an unoccupied employee. He used his height to his advantage and peered over the people wandering around. He spotted someone and took a step in their direction before he felt a tap in his shoulder.

"Can I help you?"

Finn turned to see a tall Asian man wearing a blue shirt and Apple issued ID lanyard. Finn smiled at the man and submitted his request. "Yeah, um, Finn Hudson, I'm here to pick up my iPod. I ordered it last week."

"My name is Mike and I'd be happy to help you with that sir." He began tapping on the screen of the iPad he was carrying until he smiled and looked at Finn. "Yes. Here it is. I see it's all paid for, let me go in the back and get it for you."

"No problem. Thanks." The man wasn't gone long before he returned with the small box.

"I see you have requested a special inscription, let's just check it and make sure it is correct." Mike opened the box for Finn's inspection and raised an eyebrow when he saw the bright pink iPod inside. "Pink?"

Finn smiled. He knew Rachel was going to love this color. She had used the original green iPod until it refused to go on. Neither one of them could bring themselves to throw away the nonworking iPod, instead displaying it with their wedding keepsakes, but they did replace it. Now, that one is on its last leg and Finn knew an iPod was the perfect gift for her. He decided to take it a step further and engrave it to show her what she meant to him. "It's a gift for my wife's birthday."

"Oh, I see. I'm sure she'll love it." He removed it from the box and handed it to him. "Is the engraving correct?"

_Forever Yours. Faithfully_

Finn saw the engraved letters of their wedding song on the back of the device and rubbed his thumb over it thoughtfully. "Yeah. That's great. I can't wait to give this to her." Finn handed it back to Mike, who gently placed it back in the box.

"Would you like us to gift wrap it for you?"

"You guys do that?" Finn had planned on giving it to her in the display box, but this was a far better idea. "Yes please."

"I'll be right back." Mike walked away for a few moments, returning with the newly wrapped box. He handed the elegant white and silver package was tied up with a sheer black ribbon to Finn and smiled. "There you go. Have a nice day sir."

Finn left the store ready to surprise his wife on her birthday.

~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~

Finn entered the apartment he and Rachel shared, the smell of bacon immediately assaulting his nostrils. "Rach? Babe?" Finn called out while his feet involuntarily carried him towards the heavenly smell.

"Finn thank goodness you're home! I'm in here."

Happily he made his way to the kitchen where his wife, and logically, the bacon were. As soon as he entered the room, he immediately forgot about the quest for bacon. Rachel was standing there almost glowing; Finn was certain she never looked more beautiful. Finn eyes traveled downward stopping when they reached her breasts. He had been gone for more than 24 hours now and either the time spent with the smelly guys at the station was doing things to him or her boobs were bigger. He snapped his attention back to Rachel's face. "Uh, hey babe. Happy birthday!"

"Thank you." He wrapped his free hand around her waist and leaned down to kiss he lips gently. When she pulled away, she smiled as wide as he had ever seen her smile before. He loved it. Even after all the years they had spent together, Finn was still just as in love with her as he was the day he knocked her down at the gym. "But today has even more importance than the day I graced this planet. I have the best news baby."

"Oh yeah? Does that mean you don't want the present I got you?" Finn backed away and brought the gift he had picked up out from behind his back wiggling at her enticingly.

"What? No!"

Finn pulled it just out of her reach as she reached for it, teasing her playfully. "No you don't want it?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Finn Christopher Hudson, hand over my present right now before I pummel you and take it myself. I have a surprise to share too."

Whoa, scary Rachel. "Okay okay okay. Here." He held out the small box and watched in amusement as she swiped it from his grip and pulled at the end of the ribbon. She opened the box and pulled out the iPod with wide eyes. "Do you like it?" He asked hopefully.

"Like it? I love it. This is so perfect Finn." Rachel stepped forward wrapping her arms around him in a hug that he immediately returned. When she was pressed against him like that, Finn was now certain that her boobs were bigger. Not that he was complaining. "I love you so much."

"Yeah? I wanted to find you something special. And I couldn't resist getting it engraved. It's kind of our thing." The symbolic nature of the iPod had always meant so much to them and their relationship. Finn was happy his wife was happy with his choice of birthday gift, if her watery smile was anything to go on.

"It certainly is. I couldn't be any happier Finn. This is just too much wonderful for one woman."

Finn suddenly remembered that she had mentioned having her own surprise to share and stepped back, taking her hands in his. "Oh yeah, what's your surprise? Did the Tony people call?" He knew she was anxiously awaiting the phone call that could potentially change her career forever. As far as Finn was concerned, it was inevitable.

"Not yet, though I'm still expecting their call soon after such an impressive run in _Beauty and the Beast_." Her tone was sure as ever as she told him exactly what he had been thinking not that long ago. "But… That's not all I'm expecting."

His wife was talented and it was just a matter of time until the Tony people realized it too. "Oh yeah? Is Santana coming over?" It was her birthday, maybe people were coming over, not that that would be too much of a surprise. Rachel's birthday was always a big deal.

"No, well, not today. Finn, I mean I'm expecting as in _we're_ expecting."

What could he be expecting? She wouldn't know about the promotions at work before him and those are supposed to be announced for another month. Rachel's grip on his hands tightened and Finn wondered why she seemed to be so nervous right now. "Expecting what?" His brows knitted together in confusion as he racked his brain for all the possible things they could be expecting.

"Finn, Babe, we're expecting a child. I'm pregnant Finn; we're going to have a baby!"

Finn's eyes went wide and he suddenly felt a little faint as the implications of her words sunk in. "What? You? I? We? A baby?"

"Yes, a baby Finn. Our baby."

His heart was beating wildly as she pulled his hands towards her, resting them on her still flat tummy. "Are you sure" Finn looked at his hands resting on their child, then back to the watery eyes of his wife. The woman carrying his baby, _their_ baby. "Oh my God. I love you so much." He swept her up into a tight hug, burying his face in her neck.

"I love you too babe," she giggled, tightening her hold around his neck. "I found out yesterday. Turns out you were right, my boobs were getting too big for my bra. For a reason."

Finn pulled back, openly ogling her chest. He knew they were bigger. If there was one thing that he did pay close attention to, it was her boobs. "I like this already."

He began littering her neck with kisses that soon trailed down to her chest. He kissed her each of her breasts softly over her shirt as he lowered himself to his knees in front of her, kissing her stomach gently as he brought his large hand to rub her still flat belly. Her hands gently played with his hair as he stared in awe at the space where the little boy or girl they had created was growing.

He never imagined how much love he would be capable of in his life. He knew that every heartbreak and failed relationship had prepared him to love the woman in front of him with all he had. He knew that when they went on their first date, he knew that when they got married, and he knew it now. Every time he thought he couldn't possibly love her more, every time he thought that his heart was already loving her at its capacity, he found a new level of love. So much love he never knew existed until he found her.

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**A/N- What a ride huh? Again, thank you for all the support. We know that this was a different way to tell the story of how they came to find each other, so thank you for sticking with it. This story is complete for now, but if we feel inspired there may be the occasional one shot set in this universe. We really loved creating this together and it may be hard to completely leave it behind. **

**I am not done with Finchel FF, I have several stories in my head and I've already started on one of them. I'm sure you'll see me again. If you are on Twitter, I'm there too. **

**I love your faces and reviews are always welcome.**


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